Sample records for gap resistive plate

  1. Comparing Novel Multi-Gap Resistive Plate Chamber Models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stien, Haley; EIC PID Consortium Collaboration

    2016-09-01

    Investigating nuclear structure has led to the fundamental theory of Quantum Chromodynamics. An Electron Ion Collider (EIC) is a proposed accelerator that would further these investigations. In order to prepare for the EIC, there is an active detector research and development effort. One specific goal is to achieve better particle identification via improved Time of Flight (TOF) detectors. A promising option is the Multi-Gap Resistive Plate Chamber (mRPC). These detectors are similar to the more traditional RPCs, but their active gas gaps have dividers to form several thinner gas gaps. These very thin and accurately defined gas gaps improve the timing resolution of the chamber, so the goal is to build an mRPC with the thinnest gaps to achieve the best possible timing resolution. Two different construction techniques have been employed to make two mRPCs. The first technique is to physically separate the gas gaps with sheets of glass that are .2mm thick. The second technique is to 3D print the layered gas gaps. A comparison of these mRPCs and their performances will be discussed and the latest data presented. This research was supported by US DOE MENP Grant DE-FG02-03ER41243.

  2. Testing Mylar Multi-Gap Resistive Plate Chambers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Towell, Cecily; EIC PID Consortium Collaboration

    2016-09-01

    Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) is the fundamental theory that successfully explains strong force interactions. To continue the effective study of QCD in nuclear structure, plans are being made to construct an Electron Ion Collider (EIC). Part of the preparation for the EIC includes continued detector development to push beyond their current capabilities. This includes Time of Flight (TOF) detectors, which are used for particle identification. Multi-Gap Resistive Plate Chambers (mRPCs) are a type of TOF detector that typically use glass to make small gas gaps within the detector to produce fast signals when a high energy particle goes through the detector. These extremely thin gaps of 0.2mm are key in achieving the excellent timing resolution capability of these detectors. A new mRPC design is being tested with the goal of reaching a timing resolution of 10ps. This design uses sheets of mylar in place of the glass so that the width of the dividers is smaller, thus vastly increasing the number of gas gaps. Multiple versions of this mylar mRPC have been made and tested. The methods for producing these mRPCs and their performance will be discussed. This research was supported by US DOE MENP Grant DE-FG02-03ER41243.

  3. Timing and charge measurement of single gap resistive plate chamber detectors for INO-ICAL experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gaur, Ankit; Kumar, Ashok; Naimuddin, Md.

    2018-01-01

    The recently approved India-based Neutrino Observatory will use the world's largest magnet to study atmospheric muon neutrinos. The 50 kiloton Iron Calorimeter consists of iron alternating with single-gap resistive plate chambers. A uniform magnetic field of ∼1.5 T is produced in the iron using toroidal-shaped copper coils. Muon neutrinos interact with the iron target to produce charged muons, which are detected by the resistive plate chambers, and tracked using orthogonal pick up strips. Timing information for each layer is used to discriminate between upward and downward traveling muons. The design of the readout electronics for the detector depends critically on an accurate model of the charge induced by the muons, and the dependence on bias voltages. In this paper, we present timing and charge response measurements using prototype detectors under different operating conditions. We also report the effect of varying gas mixture, particularly SF6, on the timing response.

  4. Performance test of the Multi-gap Resistive Plate Chamber (MRPC) with cosmic ray

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ikeda, Michihiko; Akieda, Tomomi; Tomita, Shoko; Ninomiya, Aki

    2014-09-01

    MRPC is a gaseous ionization detector, which a good timing resolution has been used practically in the nuclear and particle physics experiment. A mixed gas of SF6 and Fleon 134a was flowed through the gaps between high resistive plates (500 μm thickness glass). A high electric field of ~2 ×106 [V/m] was applied between the plates. A charged particle passes through the MRPC and causes avalanche amplification. We constructed a relatively small MRPC with a readout pad (20 mm × 50 mm). The development is motivated by feasibility study of the MRPC as a photon tagger at the Research Center for Electron Photon Science (ELPH), Tohoku University. The photon tagger needs a good timing resolution (<100 ps), therefore we studied the small size MRPC, while a large sized MRPCs are widely used in nuclear and particle experiments. The MRPC can operate under the strong magnetic field and thus it can be a good candidate as an electron detector placed in the magnet. We tested the HV dependence of time resolution of the MRPC with cosmic rays. The MRPC will be demonstrated at the open campus of the Tohoku University as an example of nuclear experimental detectors. We will measure the zenith angle and velocity distributions of cosmic ray.

  5. An encoding readout method used for Multi-gap Resistive Plate Chambers (MRPCs) for muon tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yue, X.; Zeng, M.; Wang, Y.; Wang, X.; Zeng, Z.; Zhao, Z.; Cheng, J.

    2014-09-01

    A muon tomography facility has been built in Tsinghua University. Because of the low flux of cosmic muon, an encoding readout method, based on the fine-fine configuration, was implemented for the 2880 channels induced signals from the Multi-gap Resistive Plate Chamber (MRPC) detectors. With the encoding method, the number of the readout electronics was dramatically reduced and thus the complexity and the cost of the facility was reduced, too. In this paper, the details of the encoding method, and the overall readout system setup in the muon tomography facility are described. With the commissioning of the facility, the readout method works well. The spatial resolution of all MRPC detectors are measured with cosmic muon and the preliminary imaging result are also given.

  6. Band gap in tubular pillar phononic crystal plate.

    PubMed

    Shu, Fengfeng; Liu, Yongshun; Wu, Junfeng; Wu, Yihui

    2016-09-01

    In this paper, a phononic crystal (PC) plate with tubular pillars is presented and investigated. The band structures and mode displacement profiles are calculated by using finite element method. The result shows that a complete band gap opens when the ratio of the pillar height to the plate thickness is about 1.6. However, for classic cylinder pillar structures, a band gap opens when the ratio is equal or greater than 3. A tubular pillar design with a void room in it enhances acoustic multiple scattering and gives rise to the opening of the band gap. In order to verify it, a PC structure with double tubular pillars different in size (one within the other) is introduced and a more than 2times band gap enlargement is observed. Furthermore, the coupling between the resonant mode and the plate mode around the band gap is characterized, as well as the effect of the geometrical parameters on the band gap. The behavior of such structure could be utilized to design a pillar PC with stronger structural stability and to enlarge band gaps. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Lamb wave band gaps in a double-sided phononic plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Peng; Chen, Tian-Ning; Yu, Kun-Peng; Wang, Xiao-Peng

    2013-02-01

    In this paper, we report on the theoretical investigation of the propagation characteristics of Lamb wave in a phononic crystal structure constituted by a square array of cylindrical stubs deposited on both sides of a thin homogeneous plate. The dispersion relations, the power transmission spectra, and the displacement fields of the eigenmodes are studied by using the finite-element method. We investigate the evolution of band gaps in the double-sided phononic plate with stub height on both sides arranged from an asymmetrical distribution to a symmetrical distribution gradually. Numerical results show that as the double stubs in a unit cell arranged more symmetrically on both sides, band width shifts, new band gaps appear, and the bands become flat due to localized resonant modes which couple with plate modes. Specially, more band gaps and flat bands can be found in the symmetrical system as a result of local resonances of the stubs which interact in a stronger way with the plate modes. Moreover, the symmetrical double-sided plate exhibits lower and smaller band gap than that of the asymmetrical plate. These propagation properties of elastic or acoustic waves in the double-sided plate can potentially be utilized to generate filters, slow the group velocity, low-frequency sound insulation, and design acoustic sensors.

  8. Plate deformation at depth under northern California: Slab gap or stretched slab?

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ten Brink, Uri S.; Shimizu, N.; Molzer, P.C.

    1999-01-01

    Plate kinematic interpretations for northern California predict a gap in the underlying subducted slab caused by the northward migration of the Pacific-North America-Juan de Fuca triple junction. However, large-scale decompression melting and asthenospheric upwelling to the base of the overlying plate within the postulated gap are not supported by geophysical and geochemical observations. We suggest a model for the interaction between the three plates which is compatible with the observations. In this 'slab stretch' model the Juan de Fuca plate under coastal northern California deforms by stretching and thinning to fill the geometrical gap formed in the wake of the northward migrating Mendocino triple junction. The stretching is in response to boundary forces acting on the plate. The thinning results in an elevated geothermal gradient, which may be roughly equivalent to a 4 Ma oceanic lithosphere, still much cooler than that inferred by the slab gap model. We show that reequilibration of this geothermal gradient under 20-30 km thick overlying plate can explain the minor Neogene volcanic activity, its chemical composition, and the heat flow. In contrast to northern California, geochemical and geophysical consequences of a 'true' slab gap can be observed in the California Inner Continental Borderland offshore Los Angeles, where local asthenospheric upwelling probably took place during the Miocene as a result of horizontal extension and rotation of the overlying plate. The elevated heat flow in central California can be explained by thermal reequilibration of the stalled Monterey microplate under the Coast Ranges, rather than by a slab gap or viscous shear heating in the mantle.

  9. Recent results and performance of the multi-gap resistive plate chambers network for the EEE Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abbrescia, M.; Avanzini, C.; Baldini, L.; Baldini Ferroli, R.; Batignani, G.; Bencivenni, G.; Bossini, E.; Chiavassa, A.; Cicalò, C.; Cifarelli, L.; Coccia, E.; Corvaglia, A.; De Gruttola, D.; De Pasquale, S.; Di Giovanni, A.; D`Incecco, M.; Dreucci, M.; Fabbri, F. L.; Fattibene, E.; Ferraro, A.; Frolov, V.; Galeotti, P.; Garbini, M.; Gemme, G.; Gnesi, I.; Grazzi, S.; Gustavino, C.; Hatzifotiadou, D.; La Rocca, P.; Licciulli, F.; Maggiora, A.; Maragoto Rodriguez, O.; Maron, G.; Martelli, B.; Mazziotta, M. N.; Miozzi, S.; Nania, R.; Noferini, F.; Nozzoli, F.; Panareo, M.; Panetta, M. P.; Paoletti, R.; Park, W.; Perasso, L.; Pilo, F.; Piragino, G.; Riggi, F.; Righini, G. C.; Sartorelli, G.; Scapparone, E.; Schioppa, M.; Scribano, A.; Selvi, M.; Serci, S.; Siddi, E.; Squarcia, S.; Stori, L.; Taiuti, M.; Terreni, G.; Visnyei, O. B.; Vistoli, M. C.; Votano, L.; Williams, M. C. S.; Zani, S.; Zichichi, A.; Zuyeusky, R.

    2016-11-01

    The Extreme Energy Events (EEE) Project is devoted to the study of Extensive Atmospheric Showers through a network of muon telescopes, installed in High Schools, with the further aim of introducing young students to particle and astroparticle physics. Each telescope is a tracking detector composed of three Multi-gap Resistive Plate Chambers (MRPC) with an active area of 1.60 × 0.80 m2. Their characteristics are similar to the ones built for the Time Of Flight array of the ALICE Experimentat LHC . The EEE Project started with a few pilot towns, where the telescopes have been taking data since 2008, and it has been constantly extended, reaching at present more than 50 MRPCs telescopes. They are spread across Italy with two additional stations at CERN, covering an area of around 3 × 105 km2, with a total surface area for all the MRPCs of 190 m2. A comprehensive description of the MRPCs network is reported here: efficiency, time and spatial resolution measured using cosmic rays hitting the telescopes. The most recent results on the detector and physics performance from a series of coordinated data acquisition periods are also presented.

  10. Complete band gaps of phononic crystal plates with square rods.

    PubMed

    El-Naggar, Sahar A; Mostafa, Samia I; Rafat, Nadia H

    2012-04-01

    Much of previous work has been devoted in studying complete band gaps for bulk phononic crystal (PC). In this paper, we theoretically investigate the existence and widths of these gaps for PC plates. We focus our attention on steel rods of square cross sectional area embedded in epoxy matrix. The equations for calculating the dispersion relation for square rods in a square or a triangular lattice have been derived. Our analysis is based on super cell plane wave expansion (SC-PWE) method. The influence of inclusions filling factor and plate thickness on the existence and width of the phononic band gaps has been discussed. Our calculations show that there is a certain filling factor (f=0.55) below which arrangement of square rods in a triangular lattice is superior to the arrangement in a square lattice. A comparison between square and circular cross sectional rods reveals that the former has superior normalized gap width than the latter in case of a square lattice. This situation is switched in case of a triangular lattice. Moreover, a maximum normalized gap width of 0.7 can be achieved for PC plate of square rods embedded in a square lattice and having height 90% of the lattice constant. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Autocorrelation Function for Monitoring the Gap between The Steel Plates During Laser Welding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mrna, Libor; Hornik, Petr

    Proper alignment of the plates prior to laser welding represents an important factor that determines the quality of the resulting weld. A gap between the plates in a butt or overlap joint affects the oscillations of the keyhole and the surrounding weld pool. We present an experimental study of the butt and overlap welds with the artificial gap of the different thickness of the plates. The welds were made on a 2 kW fiber laser machine for the steel plates and the various welding parameters settings. The eigenfrequency of the keyhole oscillations and its changes were determined from the light emissions of the plasma plume using an autocorrelation function. As a result, we describe the relations between the autocorrelation characteristics, the thickness of the gap between plates and the weld geometry.

  12. Time resolution of resistive plate chambers investigated with 10 MeV electrons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paradela, C.; Ayyad, Y.; Benlliure, J.; Casarejos, E.; Duran, I.

    2014-01-01

    The time resolution of double-gap timing resistive plate chambers (tRPC) has been measured with 10 MeV electron bunches of variable intensity. The use of electrons delivered in bunches of a few picoseconds was an attempt to mimic the energy deposition of heavy ions in the tRPC gas gap. The measurements show a clear dependence of the time resolution with the number of electrons per bunch, reaching 21 ps (standard deviation) for the highest beam intensity. The signal charge distribution and the time resolution are compared to data obtained with the same detectors for cosmic rays and 238U ions at 1 AGeV.

  13. Performance of timing resistive plate chambers with relativistic neutrons from 300 to 1500 MeV

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blanco, A.; Adamczewski-Musch, J.; Boretzky, K.; Cabanelas, P.; Cartegni, L.; Ferreira Marques, R.; Fonte, P.; Fruehauf, J.; Galaviz, D.; Heil, M.; Henriques, A.; Ickert, G.; Körper, D.; Lopes, L.; Palka, M.; Pereira, A.; Rossi, D.; Simon, H.; Teubig, P.; Traxler, M.; Velho, P.; Altstadt, S.; Atar, L.; Aumann, T.; Bemmerer, D.; Caesar, C.; Charpy, A.; Elekes, Z.; Fiori, E.; Gasparic, I.; Gerbig, J.; Göbel, K.; Heftrich, T.; Heine, M.; Heinz, A.; Holl, M.; Ignatov, A.; Isaak, J.; Johansson, H.; Kelic-Heil, A.; Lederer, C.; Lindberg, S.; Löher, B.; Machado, J.; Marganiec, J.; Martensson, M.; Nilsson, T.; Panin, V.; Paschalis, S.; Petri, M.; Plag, R.; Pohl, M.; Rastrepina, G.; Reifarth, R.; Reinhardt, T. P.; Röder, M.; Savran, D.; Scheit, H.; Schrock, P.; Silva, J.; Stach, D.; Strannerdahl, F.; Thies, R.; Wagner, A.; Wamers, F.; Weigand, M.

    2015-02-01

    A prototype composed of four resistive plate chamber layers has been exposed to quasi-monoenergetic neutrons produced from a deuteron beam of varying energy (300 to 1500 AMeV) in experiment S406 at GSI, Darmstad, Germany. Each layer, with an active area of about 2000 × 500 mm2, is made of modules containing the active gaps, all in multigap construction. Each gap is defined by 0.3 mm nylon mono-filaments positioned between 2.85 mm thick float glass electrodes. The modules are operated in avalanche mode with a non-flammable gas mixture composed of 90% C2H2F4 and 10% SF6. The signals are readout by a pick-up electrode formed by 15 copper strips (per layer), spaced at a pitch of 30 mm, connected at both sides to timing front end electronics. Measurements of the time of flight jitter of neutrons, in the mentioned energy range, point to a contribution of the resistive plate chamber in the order of 150 ps, independent of the neutron energy.

  14. Effect of the plate surface characteristics and gap height on yield stresses of a magnetorheological fluid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jonkkari, I.; Kostamo, E.; Kostamo, J.; Syrjala, S.; Pietola, M.

    2012-07-01

    Effects of the plate material, surface roughness and measuring gap height on static and dynamic yield stresses of a magnetorheological (MR) fluid were investigated with a commercial plate-plate magnetorheometer. Magnetic and non-magnetic plates with smooth (Ra ˜ 0.3 μm) and rough (Ra ˜ 10 μm) surface finishes were used. It was shown by Hall probe measurements and finite element simulations that the use of magnetic plates or higher gap heights increases the level of magnetic flux density and changes the shape of the radial flux density profile. The yield stress increase caused by these factors was determined and subtracted from the measured values in order to examine only the effect of the wall characteristics or the gap height. Roughening of the surfaces offered a significant increase in the yield stresses for non-magnetic plates. With magnetic plates the yield stresses were higher to start with, but roughening did not increase them further. A significant part of the difference in measured stresses between rough non-magnetic and magnetic plates was caused by changes in magnetic flux density rather than by better contact of the particles to the plate surfaces. In a similar manner, an increase in gap height from 0.25 to 1.00 mm can lead to over 20% increase in measured stresses due to changes in the flux density profile. When these changes were compensated the dynamic yield stresses generally remained independent of the gap height, even in the cases where it was obvious that the wall slip was present. This suggests that with MR fluids the wall slip cannot be reliably detected by comparison of flow curves measured at different gap heights.

  15. Low-frequency band gap of locally resonant phononic crystals with a dual-base plate.

    PubMed

    Zuo, Shuguang; Huang, Haidong; Wu, Xudong; Zhang, Minghai; Ni, Tianxin

    2018-03-01

    To achieve a wider band gap and a lower cut-on frequency, a locally resonant phononic crystal (LRPC) with a dual-base plate is investigated in this paper. Compared with the LRPC with a single plate, the band structure of the LRPC with a dual-base plate is calculated using the method of plane wave expansion and verified by the finite element method. According to the analysis of the band curves of the LRPC with a dual-base plate, the mechanisms are explained. Next, the influences of the thickness of the plates, the stiffness of the springs, the mass of resonators, and the lattice constant are also investigated. The results show that the structural asymmetry between the upper and the lower plate is conducive to reducing the cut-on frequency and broadening the band gap effectively. The results indicate a different approach for the application of LRPC in vibration and noise control.

  16. Corrosion resistant metallic bipolar plate

    DOEpatents

    Brady, Michael P [Oak Ridge, TN; Schneibel, Joachim H [Knoxville, TN; Pint, Bruce A [Knoxville, TN; Maziasz, Philip J [Oak Ridge, TN

    2007-05-01

    A corrosion resistant, electrically conductive component such as a bipolar plate for a PEM fuel cell includes 20 55% Cr, balance base metal such as Ni, Fe, or Co, the component having thereon a substantially external, continuous layer of chromium nitride.

  17. Two-phase flow patterns in adiabatic and diabatic corrugated plate gaps

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Polzin, A.-E.; Kabelac, S.; de Vries, B.

    2016-09-01

    Correlations for two-phase heat transfer and pressure drop can be improved considerably, when they are adapted to specific flow patterns. As plate heat exchangers find increasing application as evaporators and condensers, there is a need for flow pattern maps for corrugated plate gaps. This contribution presents experimental results on flow pattern investigations for such a plate heat exchanger background, using an adiabatic visualisation setup as well as a diabatic setup. Three characteristic flow patterns were observed in the considered range of two-phase flow: bubbly flow, film flow and slug flow. The occurrence of these flow patterns is a function of mass flux, void fraction, fluid properties and plate geometry. Two different plate geometries having a corrugation angle of 27° and 63°, respectively and two different fluids (water/air and R365mfc liquid/vapor) have been analysed. A flow pattern map using the momentum flux is presented.

  18. Corrosion-resistant, electrically-conductive plate for use in a fuel cell stack

    DOEpatents

    Carter, J David [Bolingbrook, IL; Mawdsley, Jennifer R [Woodridge, IL; Niyogi, Suhas [Woodridge, IL; Wang, Xiaoping [Naperville, IL; Cruse, Terry [Lisle, IL; Santos, Lilia [Lombard, IL

    2010-04-20

    A corrosion resistant, electrically-conductive, durable plate at least partially coated with an anchor coating and a corrosion resistant coating. The corrosion resistant coating made of at least a polymer and a plurality of corrosion resistant particles each having a surface area between about 1-20 m.sup.2/g and a diameter less than about 10 microns. Preferably, the plate is used as a bipolar plate in a proton exchange membrane (PEMFC) fuel cell stack.

  19. Experimental evidence of locally resonant sonic band gap in two-dimensional phononic stubbed plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oudich, Mourad; Senesi, Matteo; Assouar, M. Badreddine; Ruzenne, Massimo; Sun, Jia-Hong; Vincent, Brice; Hou, Zhilin; Wu, Tsung-Tsong

    2011-10-01

    We provide experimental evidence of the existence of a locally resonant sonic band gap in a two-dimensional stubbed plate. Structures consisting of a periodic arrangement of silicone rubber stubs deposited on a thin aluminium plate were fabricated and characterized. Brillouin spectroscopy analysis is carried out to determine the elastic constants of the used rubber. The constants are then implemented in an efficient finite-element model that predicts the band structure and transmission to identify the theoretical band gap. We measure a complete sonic band gap for the out-of-plane Lamb wave modes propagating in various samples fabricated with different stub heights. Frequency domain measurements of full wave field and transmission are performed through a scanning laser Doppler vibrometer. A complete band gap from 1.9 to 2.6 kHz is showed using a sample with 6-mm stub diameter, 5-mm thickness, and 1-cm structure periodicity. Very good agreement between numerical and experimental results is obtained.

  20. Resistance of a plate in parallel flow at low Reynolds numbers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Janour, Zbynek

    1951-01-01

    The present paper gives the results of measurements of the resistance of a plate placed parallel to the flow in the range of Reynolds numbers from 10 to 2300; in this range the resistance deviates from the formula of Blasius. The lower limit of validity of the Blasius formula is determined and also the increase in resistance at the edges parallel to the flow in the case of a plate of finite width.

  1. Effect of microstructure of superalloy guide plate on its surface wear resistance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Jianbo; Zhang, Xizhen

    2018-03-01

    The microstructure had been observed for guide plate, the guide plate be made of casting for groove controlling of hot rolled seamless tube, be produced for the production of 1600 seamless steel pipe,which cause obvious surface deformation and can not be normally produced. The alloy elements in matrix and precipitate phase of the guide plate were analyzed with the help of EDS. The results show that the wear resistance of the guide plate is directly affected by the fact that the guide plate is unable to form typical carbides, it shows that the formation of typical carbide strengthening plays an important role in improving the surface wear resistance of the guide plate.

  2. Multigap resistive plate chambers for EAS study in the EEE Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    An, S.; Antolini, R.; Badalà, A.; Baldini Ferroli, R.; Bencivenni, G.; Blanco, F.; Bressan, E.; Chiavassa, A.; Cifarelli, L.; Cindolo, F.; Coccia, E.; de Pasquale, S.; di Giovanni, A.; D'Incecco, M.; Fabbri, F. L.; Garbini, M.; Giuliano, A.; Gustavino, C.; Hatzifotiadou, D.; Imponente, G.; Kim, J.; La Rocca, P.; Librizzi, F.; Maggiora, A.; Menghetti, H.; Miozzi, S.; Moro, R.; Pace, E.; Panareo, M.; Pappalardo, G. S.; Piragino, G.; Riggi, F.; Sartorelli, G.; Sbarra, C.; Selvi, M.; Williams, C.; Zichichi, A.; Zuyeuski, R.

    2007-10-01

    The EEE (Extreme Energy Events) Project, conceived by its leader Antonino Zichichi, is an experiment to study very high-energetic air showers (EAS) through the detection of the shower's muon component using a network of tracking detectors, installed in Italian high schools. The single tracking telescope is composed of three large area (˜2m) Multi-gap Resistive Plate Chambers (MRPCs). The data collected by the telescopes will be used for studies of air showers and also for the search of time correlations between sites which are far apart. The first telescope, recently installed in the Liceo B. Touschek in Grottaferrata (Rome), is successfully running, and other telescopes are going to be installed in a short time in other towns, opening up the way for the first search of long-distance coincidences over a total area of ˜10km.

  3. Discharge characteristics of a needle-to-plate electrode at a micro-scale gap

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ronggang, WANG; Qizheng, JI; Tongkai, ZHANG; Qing, XIA; Yu, ZHANG; Jiting, OUYANG

    2018-05-01

    To understand the discharge characteristics under a gap of micrometers, the breakdown voltage and current–voltage curve are measured experimentally in a needle-to-plate electrode at a micro-scale gap of 3–50 μm in air. The effect of the needle radius and the gas pressure on the discharge characteristics are tested. The results show that when the gap is larger than 10 μm, the relation between the breakdown voltage and the gap looks like the Paschen curve; while below 10 μm, the breakdown voltage is nearly constant in the range of the tested gap. However, at the same gap distance, the breakdown voltage is still affected by the pressure and shows a trend similar to Paschen’s law. The current–voltage characteristic in all the gaps is similar and follows the trend of a typical Townsend-to-glow discharge. A simple model is used to explain the non-normality of breakdown in the micro-gaps. The Townsend mechanism is suggested to control the breakdown process in this configuration before the gap reduces much smaller in air.

  4. Assembling Resistive Plate Chambers for the PHENIX Detector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drummond, Kirk

    2009-10-01

    A fast muon trigger for the Pioneering High Energy Nuclear Interaction eXperiment (PHENIX) will enable the study of flavor separated quark and anti-quark spin polarizations in the proton through the analysis of single spin asymmetries for W-boson production in proton-proton collisions. The Phenix experiment is capable of measuring high momentum muons at forward rapidity, but the current online trigger does not have sufficient rejection to sample rare leptons from W-decay at the highest luminosities at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. This upgrade will enhance our ability to collect and analyze muons that decay from W-bosons produced in polarized proton-proton collisions. This upgrade is comprised of half-octants which encompass three different Resistive Plate Chamber (RPCs) modules that encase a sandwich of copper, mylar, gas gaps, and a signal plane. The summer of 2009 marked the start of this full production, with teams from many institutions contributing to the production in the assembly tent at Brookhaven National Lab. The North Arm Station 3 part of the upgrade is scheduled to be installed in the fall of 2009, and the remaining stations will be installed by the fall of 2011.

  5. Relationship between connexin expression and gap-junction resistivity in human atrial myocardium.

    PubMed

    Dhillon, Paramdeep S; Chowdhury, Rasheda A; Patel, Pravina M; Jabr, Rita; Momin, Aziz U; Vecht, Joshua; Gray, Rosaire; Shipolini, Alex; Fry, Christopher H; Peters, Nicholas S

    2014-04-01

    The relative roles of the gap-junctional proteins connexin40 (Cx40) and connexin43 (Cx43) in determining human atrial myocardial resistivity is unknown. In addressing the hypothesis that changing relative expression of Cx40 and Cx43 underlies an increase in human atrial myocardial resistivity with age, this relationship was investigated by direct ex vivo measurement of gap-junctional resistivity and quantitative connexin immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Oil-gap impedance measurements were performed to determine resistivity of the intracellular pathway (Ri), which correlated with total Cx40 quantification by Western blotting (rs=0.64, P<0.01, n=20). Specific gap-junctional resistivity (Rj) correlated not only with Western immunoquantification of Cx40 (rs=0.63, P=0.01, n=20), but also more specifically, with the Cx40 fraction localized to the intercalated disks on immunohistochemical quantification (rs=0.66, P=0.02, n=12). Although Cx43 expression showed no correlation with resistivity values, the proportional expression of the 2 connexins, (Cx40/[Cx40+Cx43]) correlated with Ri and Rj (rs=0.58, P<0.01 for Ri and rs=0.51, P=0.02 for Rj). Advancing age was associated with a rise in Ri (rs=0.77, P<0.0001), Rj (rs=0.65, P<0.001, n=23), Cx40 quantity (rs=0.54, P=0.01, n=20), and Cx40 gap-junction protein per unit area of en face disk (rs=0.61, P=0.02, n=12). Cx40 is associated with human right atrial gap-junctional resistivity such that increased total, gap-junctional, and proportional Cx40 expression increases gap-junctional resistivity. Accordingly, advancing age is associated with an increase in Cx40 expression and a corresponding increase in gap-junctional resistivity. These findings are the first to demonstrate this relationship and a mechanistic explanation for changing atrial conduction and age-related arrhythmic tendency.

  6. Plate boundary and major fault system in the overriding plate within the Shumagin gap at the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Becel, A.; Shillington, D. J.; Nedimovic, M. R.; Keranen, K. M.; Li, J.; Webb, S. C.; Kuehn, H.

    2013-12-01

    Structure in the overriding plate is one of the parameters that may increase the tsunamigenic potential of a subduction zone but also influence the seismogenic behavior and segmentation of great earthquake rupture. The Alaska-Aleutian margin is characterized by along-strike changes in plate interface coupling over relatively small distances. Here, we present trench normal multichannel seismic (MCS) profiles acquired across the Shumagin gap that has not broken in many decades and appears to be weakly coupled. The high fold, deep penetration (636 channel, 8-km long streamer, 6600 cu.in airgun source) MCS data were acquired as part of the ALEUT project. This dataset gives us critical new constraints on the interplate boundary that can be traced over ~100 km distance beneath the forearc with high variation in its reflection response with depth. These profiles also reveal the detailed upper plate fault structure and forearc morphology. Clear reflections in the overriding plate appear to delineate one or more large faults that cross the shelf and the upper slope. These faults are observed 75 km back from the trench and seem to branch at depth and connect to the plate interface within this gap at ~11 s twtt. We compare the reflective structure of these faults to that of the plate boundary and examine where it intersects the megathrust with respect of the expected downdip limit of coupling. We also compare this major structure with the seismicity recorded in this sector. The imaged fault system is associated with a large deep basin (~6s twt) that is an inherited structure formed during the pre-Aleutian period. Basins faults appear to have accommodated primarily normal motion, although folding of sediments near the fault and complicated fault geometries in the shallow section may indicate that this fault has accommodated other types of motion during its history that may reflect the stress-state at the megathrust over time. The deformation within the youngest sediment also

  7. Mechanisms Affecting Performance of the BaBar Resistive Plate Chambers and Searches for Remediation

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

    Lu, Changguo

    2003-09-19

    The BaBar experiment at PEPII relies on the Instrumentation of the Flux Return (IFR) for both muon identification and KL detection. The active detector is composed of Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC's) operated in streamer mode. Since the start of operation the RPC's have suffered persistent efficiency deterioration and dark current increase problems. The ''autopsy'' of bad BaBar RPC's revealed that in many cases uncured Linseed oil droplets had formed on the inner surface of the Bakelite plates, leading to current paths from oil ''stalagmites'' bridging the 2 mm gap. In this paper a possible model of this ''stalagmite'' formation andmore » its effect on the dark current and efficiency of RPC chambers is presented. Laboratory test results strongly support this model. Based upon this model we are searching for solutions to eliminate the unfavorable effect of the oil stalagmites. The lab tests show that the stalagmite resistivity increases dramatically if exposed to the air, an observation that points to a possible way to remedy the damage and increase the efficiency. We have seen that flowing an oxygen gas mixture into the chamber helps to polymerize the uncured linseed oil. Consequently the resistivity of the bridged oil stalagmites increases, as does that of the oil coating on the frame edges and spacers, significantly reducing the RPC dark currents and low-efficiency regions. We have tested this idea on two chambers removed from BaBar because of their low efficiency and high dark current. These test results are reported in the paper, and two other remediation methods also mentioned. We continue to study this problem, and try to find new treatments with permanent improvement.« less

  8. Complete band gaps in a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) phononic plate with cross-like holes: numerical design and experimental verification.

    PubMed

    Miniaci, Marco; Marzani, Alessandro; Testoni, Nicola; De Marchi, Luca

    2015-02-01

    In this work the existence of band gaps in a phononic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plate with a square lattice of cross-like holes is numerically and experimentally investigated. First, a parametric analysis is carried out to find plate thickness and cross-like holes dimensions capable to nucleate complete band gaps. In this analysis the band structures of the unitary cell in the first Brillouin zone are computed by exploiting the Bloch-Floquet theorem. Next, time transient finite element analyses are performed to highlight the shielding effect of a finite dimension phononic region, formed by unitary cells arranged into four concentric square rings, on the propagation of guided waves. Finally, ultrasonic experimental tests in pitch-catch configuration across the phononic region, machined on a PVC plate, are executed and analyzed. Very good agreement between numerical and experimental results are found confirming the existence of the predicted band gaps. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of titanium nitride plating on orthodontic wires.

    PubMed

    Sugisawa, Haruki; Kitaura, Hideki; Ueda, Kyosuke; Kimura, Keisuke; Ishida, Masahiko; Ochi, Yumiko; Kishikawa, Akiko; Ogawa, Saika; Takano-Yamamoto, Teruko

    2018-03-30

    Titanium nitride (TiN) coating by ion plating has properties such as high hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and surface lubricity, therefore TiN coating is often used in various dental appliances and materials. In this study, we evaluated the corrosion behaviors and mechanical properties of TiN coated stainless steel (SS) and nickel titanium (Ni-Ti) orthodontic wires prepared by ion plating. TiN coating by ion plating improves the corrosion resistance of orthodontic wires. The corrosion pitting of the TiN coated wire surface become small. The tensile strength and stiffness of SS wire were increased after TiN coating. In contrast, its elastic force, which is a property for Ni-Ti wire, was decreased. In addition, TiN coating provided small friction forces. The low level of friction may increase tooth movement efficiently. Therefore, TiN coated SS wire could be useful for orthodontics treatment.

  10. Performance of timing Resistive Plate Chambers with protons from 200 to 800 MeV

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Machado, J.; Adamczewski-Musch, J.; Blanco, A.; Boretzky, K.; Cabanelas, P.; Cartegni, L.; Ferreira Marques, R.; Fonte, P.; Fruehauf, J.; Galaviz, D.; Heil, M.; Henriques, A.; . Ickert, G.; Körper, D.; Lopes, L.; Palka, M.; Pereira, A.; Rossi, D.; Simon, H.; Teubig, P.; Traxler, M.; Velho, P.; Altstadt, S.; Atar, L.; Aumann, T.; Bemmerer, D.; Caesar, C.; Charpy, A.; Elekes, Z.; Fiori, E.; Gasparic, I.; Gerbig, J.; Göbel, K.; Heftrich, T.; Heine, M.; Heinz, A.; Holl, M.; Ignatov, A.; Isaak, J.; Johansson, H.; Kelic-Heil, A.; Lederer, C.; Lindberg, S.; Löher, B.; Marganiec, J.; Martensson, M.; Nilsson, T.; Panin, V.; Paschalis, S.; Petri, M.; Plag, R.; Pohl, M.; Rastrepina, G.; Reifarth, R.; Reinhardt, T. P.; Röder, M.; Savran, D.; Scheit, H.; Schrock, P.; Silva, J.; Stach, D.; Strannerdahl, F.; Thies, R.; Wagner, A.; Wamers, F.; Weigand, M.

    2015-01-01

    A prototype composed of four resistive plate chamber layers has been exposed to quasi-monoenergetic protons produced from a deuteron beam of varying energy (200 to 800 AMeV) in experiment S406 at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany. The aim of the experiment is to characterize the response of the prototype to protons in this energy range, which deposit from 1.75 to 6 times more energy than minimum ionizing particles. Each layer, with an active area of about 2000 × 500 mm2, is made of modules containing the active gaps, all in multigap construction. Each gap is defined by 0.3 mm nylon mono-filaments positioned between 2.85 mm thick float glass electrodes. The modules are operated in avalanche mode with a non-flammable gas mixture composed of 90% C2H2F4 and 10% SF6. The signals are readout by a pick-up electrode formed by 15 copper strips (per layer), spaced at a pitch of 30 mm, connected at both sides to timing front end electronics. Results show an uniform efficiency close to 100% along with a timing resolution of around 60 ps on the entire 2000 × 500 mm2 area.

  11. Effect of screw position on single cycle to failure in bending and torsion of a locking plate-rod construct in a synthetic feline femoral gap model.

    PubMed

    Niederhäuser, Simone K; Tepic, Slobodan; Weber, Urs T

    2015-05-01

    To evaluate the effect of screw position on strength and stiffness of a combination locking plate-rod construct in a synthetic feline femoral gap model. 30 synthetic long-bone models derived from beechwood and balsa wood. 3 constructs (2 locking plate-rod constructs and 1 locking plate construct; 10 specimens/construct) were tested in a diaphyseal bridge plating configuration by use of 4-point bending and torsion. Variables included screw position (near the fracture gap and far from the fracture gap) and application of an intramedullary pin. Constructs were tested to failure in each loading mode to determine strength and stiffness. Failure was defined as plastic deformation of the plate or breakage of the bone model or plate. Strength, yield angle, and stiffness were compared by use of a Wilcoxon test. Placement of screws near the fracture gap did not increase bending or torsional stiffness in the locking plate-rod constructs, assuming the plate was placed on the tension side of the bone. Addition of an intramedullary pin resulted in a significant increase in bending strength of the construct. Screw positioning did not have a significant effect on any torsion variables. Results of this study suggested that, in the investigated plate-rod construct, screw insertion adjacent to the fracture lacked mechanical advantages over screw insertion at the plate ends. For surgeons attempting to minimize soft tissue dissection, the decision to make additional incisions for screw placement should be considered with even more caution.

  12. Oceanic ridges and transform faults: Their intersection angles and resistance to plate motion

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lachenbruch, A.H.; Thompson, G.A.

    1972-01-01

    The persistent near-orthogonal pattern formed by oceanic ridges and transform faults defies explanation in terms of rigid plates because it probably depends on the energy associated with deformation. For passive spreading, it is likely that the ridges and transforms adjust to a configuration offering minimum resistance to plate separation. This leads to a simple geometric model which yields conditions for the occurrence of transform faults and an aid to interpretation of structural patterns in the sea floor. Under reasonable assumptions, it is much more difficult for diverging plates to spread a kilometer of ridge than to slip a kilometer of transform fault, and the patterns observed at spreading centers might extend to lithospheric depths. Under these conditions, the resisting force at spreading centers could play a significant role in the dynamics of plate-tectonic systems. ?? 1972.

  13. Extremely low-frequency Lamb wave band gaps in a sandwich phononic crystal thin plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shen, Li; Wu, Jiu Hui; Liu, Zhangyi; Fu, Gang

    2015-11-01

    In this paper, a kind of sandwich phononic crystal (PC) plate with silicon rubber scatterers embedded in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) matrix is proposed to demonstrate its low-frequency Lamb wave band gap (BG) characteristics. The dispersion relationship and the displacement vector fields of the basic slab modes and the locally resonant modes are investigated to show the BG formation mechanism. The anti-symmetric Lamb wave BG is further studied due to its important function in reducing vibration. The analysis on the BG characteristics of the PC through changing their geometrical parameters is performed. By optimizing the structure, a sandwich PC plate with a thickness of only 3 mm and a lower boundary (as low as 23.9 Hz) of the first anti-symmetric BG is designed. Finally, sound insulation experiment on a sandwich PC plate with the thickness of only 2.5 mm is conducted, showing satisfactory noise reduction effect in the frequency range of the anti-symmetric Lamb BG. Therefore, this kind of sandwich PC plate has potential applications in controlling vibration and noise in low-frequency ranges.

  14. Low-frequency vibration isolation in sandwich plates by piezoelectric shunting arrays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Shengbing; Wang, Gang; Song, Yubao

    2016-12-01

    Piezoelectric shunting arrays are proposed to isolate low-frequency vibrations transmitted in sandwich plates. The performance is characterized through application of finite element method. The numerical result shows that a complete band gap, whose width is about 20 Hz, is produced in the desired low-frequency ranges. The band gap is induced by local resonances of the shunting circuits, whose location is strongly related to the inductance, while the resistance can broaden the band gap to some extent. Vibration experiments are conducted on a 1200 × 1000 × 15 mm aluminum honeycomb plate with two arrays of 5 × 5 shunted piezoelectric patches bonded on the surface panels. Significant attenuation is found in the experimental results, which agree well with the theoretical predictions. Consequently, the proposed idea is feasible and effective.

  15. Angular resolution of stacked resistive plate chambers

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

    Samuel, Deepak; Onikeri, Pratibha B.; Murgod, Lakshmi P., E-mail: deepaksamuel@cuk.ac.in, E-mail: pratibhaonikeri@gmail.com, E-mail: lakshmipmurgod@gmail.com

    We present here detailed derivations of mathematical expressions for the accuracy in the arrival direction of particles estimated using a set of stacked resistive plate chambers (RPCs). The expressions are validated against experimental results using data collected from the prototype detectors (without magnet) of the upcoming India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO). We also present a theoretical estimate of angular resolution of such a setup. In principle, these expressions can be used for any other detector with an architecture similar to that of RPCs.

  16. State of the Art in HIV Drug Resistance: Science and Technology Knowledge Gap.

    PubMed

    Boucher, Charles A; Bobkova, Marina R; Geretti, Anna Maria; Hung, Chien-Ching; Kaiser, Rolf; Marcelin, Anne-Geneviève; Streinu-Cercel, Adrian; van Wyk, Jean; Dorr, Pat; Vandamme, Anne-Mieke

    2018-01-01

    Resistance to antiretroviral therapy (ART) threatens the efficacy of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) treatment. We present a review of knowledge gaps in the science and technologies of acquired HIV-1 drug resistance (HIVDR) in an effort to facilitate research, scientific exchange, and progress in clinical management. The expert authorship of this review convened to identify data gaps that exist in the field of HIVDR and discuss their clinical implications. A subsequent literature review of trials and current practices was carried out to provide supporting evidence. Several gaps were identified across HIVDR science and technology. A summary of the major gaps is presented, with an expert discussion of their implications within the context of the wider field. Crucial to optimizing the use of ART will be improved understanding of protease inhibitors and, in particular, integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTI) in the context of HIVDR. Limited experience with INSTI represents an important knowledge gap in HIV resistance science. Utilizing such knowledge in a clinical setting relies on accurate testing and analysis of resistance-associated mutations. As next-generation sequencing becomes more widely available, a gap in the interpretation of data is the lack of a defined, clinically relevant threshold of minority variants. Further research will provide evidence on where such thresholds lie and how they can be most effectively applied. Expert discussion identified a series of gaps in our knowledge of HIVDR. Addressing prefsuch gaps through further research and characterization will facilitate the optimal use of ART therapies and technologies.

  17. Testing of multigap Resistive Plate Chambers for Electron Ion Collider Detector Development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamilton, Hannah; Phenix Collaboration

    2015-10-01

    Despite decades of research on the subject, some details of the spin structure of the nucleon continues to be unknown. To improve our knowledge of the nucleon spin structure, the construction of a new collider is needed. This is one of the primary goals of the proposed Electron Ion Collider (EIC). Planned EIC spectrometers will require good particle identification. This can be provided by time of flight (TOF) detectors with excellent timing resolutions of 10 ps. A potential TOF detector that could meet this requirement is a glass multigap resistive plate chamber (mRPC). These mRPCs can provide excellent timing resolution at a low cost. The current glass mRPC prototypes have a total of twenty 0.1 mm thick gas gaps. In order to test the feasibility of this design, a cosmic test stand was assembled. This stand used the coincidence of scintillators as a trigger, and contains fast electronics. The construction, the method of testing, and the test results of the mRPCs will be presented.

  18. Transform push, oblique subduction resistance, and intraplate stress of the Juan de Fuca plate

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wang, K.; He, J.; Davis, E.E.

    1997-01-01

    The Juan de Fuca plate is a small oceanic plate between the Pacific and North America plates. In the southernmost region, referred to as the Gorda deformation zone, the maximum compressive stress a, constrained by earthquake focal mechanisms is N-S. Off Oregon, and possibly off Washington, NW trending left-lateral faults cutting the Juan de Fuca plate indicate a a, in a NE-SW to E-W direction. The magnitude of differential stress increases from north to south; this is inferred from the plastic yielding and distribution of earthquakes throughout the Gorda deformation zone. To understand how tectonic forces determine the stress field of the Juan de Fuca plate, we have modeled the intraplate stress using both elastic and elastic-perfectly plastic plane-stress finite element models. We conclude that the right-lateral shear motion of the Pacific and North America plates is primarily responsible for the stress pattern of the Juan de Fuca plate. The most important roles are played by a compressional force normal to the Mendocino transform fault, a result of the northward push by the Pacific plate and a horizontal resistance operating against the northward, or margin-parallel, component of oblique subduction. Margin-parallel subduction resistance results in large N-S compression in the Gorda deformation zone because the force is integrated over the full length of the Cascadia subduction zone. The Mendocino transform fault serves as a strong buttress that is very weak in shear but capable of transmitting large strike-normal compressive stresses. Internal failure of the Gorda deformation zone potentially places limits on the magnitude of the fault-normal stresses being transmitted and correspondingly on the magnitude of strike-parallel subduction resistance. Transform faults and oblique subduction zones in other parts of the world can be expected to transmit and create stresses in the same manner. Copyright 1997 by the American Geophysical Union.

  19. Finding Platinum-Coating Gaps On Titanium Anodes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bodemeijer, Ronnald; Flowers, Cecil E.

    1990-01-01

    Simple procedure makes gaps visible to eye. New gap-detection method consists of plating thin layer of non-silver-colored metal like copper or gold on anode. Contrast in color between plated metal and bare anode material makes gaps stand out. If anode passes inspection, copper or gold plate removable by reversal of test-plating current. Remains to be determined whether test plating and removal damages anode. New method simpler and more economical than previous attempts to identify gaps in platinum.

  20. Performance of low resistance microchannel plate stacks

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Siegmund, O. H. W.; Stock, J.

    1991-01-01

    Results are presented from an evaluation of three sets of low resistance microchannel plate (MCP) stacks; the tests encompassed gain, pulse-height distribution, background rate, event rate capacity as a function of illuminated area, and performance changes due to high temperature bakeout and high flux UV scrub. The MCPs are found to heat up, requiring from minutes to hours to reach stabilization. The event rate is strongly dependent on the size of the area being illuminated, with larger areas experiencing a gain drop onset at lower rates than smaller areas.

  1. Nickel-plating for active metal dissolution resistance in molten fluoride salts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olson, Luke; Sridharan, Kumar; Anderson, Mark; Allen, Todd

    2011-04-01

    Ni electroplating of Incoloy-800H was investigated with the goal of mitigating Cr dissolution from this alloy into molten 46.5%LiF-11.5%NaF-42%KF eutectic salt, commonly referred to as FLiNaK. Tests were conducted in graphite crucibles at a molten salt temperature of 850 °C. The crucible material graphite accelerates the corrosion process due to the large activity difference between the graphite and the alloy. For the purposes of providing a baseline for this study, un-plated Incoloy-800H and a nearly pure Ni-alloy, Ni-201 were also tested. Results indicate that Ni-plating has the potential to significantly improve the corrosion resistance of Incoloy-800H in molten fluoride salts. Diffusion of Cr from the alloy through the Ni-plating does occur and if the Ni-plating is thin enough this Cr eventually dissolves into the molten salt. The post-corrosion test microstructure of the Ni-plating, particularly void formation was also observed to depend on the plating thickness. Diffusion anneals in a helium environment of Ni-plated Incoloy-800H and an Fe-Ni-Cr model alloy were also investigated to understand Cr diffusion through the Ni-plating. Further enhancements in the efficacy of the Ni-plating as a protective barrier against Cr dissolution from the alloy into molten fluoride salts can be achieved by thermally forming a Cr 2O 3 barrier film on the surface of the alloy prior to Ni electroplating.

  2. Design Guideline for New Generation of High-Temperature Guarded Hot Plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, J.; Hameury, J.; Failleau, G.; Blahut, A.; Vachova, T.; Strnad, R.; Krause, M.; Rafeld, E.; Hammerschmidt, U.

    2018-02-01

    This paper complements the existing measurement standards and literature for high-temperature guarded hot plates (HTGHPs) by addressing specific issues relating to thermal conductivity measurement of technical insulation at high temperatures. The examples given are focused on the designs of HTGHPs for measuring thin thermal insulation. The sensitivity studies have been carried out on major influencing factors that affect the thermal conductivity measurements using HTGHPs, e.g., the uncertainty of temperature measurements, plate flatness and center-guard gap design and imbalance. A new configuration of center-guard gap with triangular shape cross section has been optimized to obtain the same thermal resistance as a 2 mm wide gap with rectangular shape cross section that has been used in the HTGHPs at NPL and LNE. Recommendations have been made on the selections of heater plate materials, high-temperature high-emissivity coatings and miniature temperature sensors. For the first time, thermal stress analysis method has been applied to the field of HTGHPs, in order to estimate the effect of differential thermal expansion on the flatness of thin rigid specimens during thermal conductivity tests in a GHP.

  3. Temperature effects on the band gaps of Lamb waves in a one-dimensional phononic-crystal plate (L).

    PubMed

    Cheng, Y; Liu, X J; Wu, D J

    2011-03-01

    This study investigates the temperature-tuned band gaps of Lamb waves in a one-dimensional phononic-crystal plate, which is formed by alternating strips of ferroelectric ceramic Ba(0.7)Sr(0.3)TiO(3) and epoxy. The sensitive and continuous temperature-tunability of Lamb wave band gaps is demonstrated using the analyses of the band structures and the transmission spectra. The width and position of Lamb wave band gaps shift prominently with variation of temperature in the range of 26 °C-50 °C. For example, the width of the second band gap increases from 0.066 to 0.111 MHz as the temperature is increased from 26 °C to 50 °C. The strong shift promises that the structure could be suitable for temperature-tuned multi-frequency Lamb wave filters. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

  4. Optimizing the position resolution of a Z-stack microchannel plate resistive anode detector for low intensity signals

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

    Wiggins, B. B.; Richardson, E.; Siwal, D.

    A method for achieving good position resolution of low-intensity electron signals using a microchannel plate resistive anode detector is demonstrated. Electron events at a rate of 7 counts s{sup −1} are detected using a Z-stack microchannel plate. The dependence of position resolution on both the distance and the potential difference between the microchannel plate and resistive anode is investigated. Using standard commercial electronics, a measured position resolution of 170 μm (FWHM) is obtained, which corresponds to an intrinsic resolution of 157 μm (FWHM)

  5. An Investigation of Ionic Flows in a Sphere-Plate Electrode Gap

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Z. Alisoy, H.; Alagoz, S.; T. Alisoy, G.; B. Alagoz, B.

    2013-10-01

    This paper presents analyses of ion flow characteristics and ion discharge pulses in a sphere-ground plate electrode system. As a result of variation in electric field intensity in the electrode gap, the ion flows towards electrodes generate non-uniform discharging pulses. Inspection of these pulses provides useful information on ionic stream kinetics, the effective thickness of ion cover around electrodes, and the timing of ion clouds discharge pulse sequences. A finite difference time domain (FDTD) based space-charge motion simulation is used for the numerical analysis of the spatio-temporal development of ionic flows following the first Townsend avalanche, and the simulation results demonstrate expansion of the positive ion flow and compression of the negative ion flow, which results in non-uniform discharge pulse characteristics.

  6. A seismic gap along an accreting plate boundary : Example of the Djibouti Ridge, Afar, East Africa

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruegg, Jean-Claude; Lépine, Jean-Claude

    1983-05-01

    A segment of the Gulf of Tadjoura (Djibouti, East-Africa) accreting plate boundary, shows a period of quiescence in the seismic activity since 1974. This segment corresponds to the extension area of the aftershock activity that has occured after a cluster of magnitude 5.5 earthquakes in April 1973. From this example we propose that the seismic gap concept can be extended to moderate earthquakes occuring at extensional plate boundaries. The magnitude of the largest earthquakes at the spreading axis is limited by the size of the rupture length and by the strength of the brittle lithosphere. In the case of the Djibouti ridge recurrence time of 10-20 years are found for earthquakes of about M =6.

  7. Pressure-Letdown Plates for Coal Gasifiers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Collins, E. R., Jr.

    1985-01-01

    Variation of pseudoporous plates used with coal gasifiers in pressure letdown stage of processing minimize clogging. Rotating plates containing variable gap annuli continually change flow path to enable erosionless reduction of gas pressure. Particles that otherwise clog porous plugs pass through gaps.

  8. Studies on fast triggering and high precision tracking with Resistive Plate Chambers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aielli, G.; Ball, R.; Bilki, B.; Chapman, J. W.; Cardarelli, R.; Dai, T.; Diehl, E.; Dubbert, J.; Ferretti, C.; Feng, H.; Francis, K.; Guan, L.; Han, L.; Hou, S.; Levin, D.; Li, B.; Liu, L.; Paolozzi, L.; Repond, J.; Roloff, J.; Santonico, R.; Song, H. Y.; Wang, X. L.; Wu, Y.; Xia, L.; Xu, L.; Zhao, T.; Zhao, Z.; Zhou, B.; Zhu, J.

    2013-06-01

    We report on studies of fast triggering and high precision tracking using Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs). Two beam tests were carried out with the 180 GeV/c muon beam at CERN using glass RPCs with gas gaps of 1.15 mm and equipped with readout strips with 1.27 mm pitch. This is the first beam test of RPCs with fine-pitch readout strips that explores precision tracking and triggering capabilities. RPC signals were acquired with precision timing and charge integrating readout electronics at both ends of the strips. The time resolution was measured to be better than 600 ps and the average spatial resolution was found to be 220 μm using charge information and 287 μm only using signal arrival time information. The dual-ended readout allows the determination of the average and the difference of the signal arrival times. The average time was found to be independent of the incident particle position along the strip and is useful for triggering purposes. The time difference yielded a determination of the hit position with a precision of 7.5 mm along the strip. These results demonstrate the feasibility using RPCs for fast and high-resolution triggering and tracking.

  9. Exact-solution for cone-plate viscometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Giacomin, A. J.; Gilbert, P. H.

    2017-11-01

    The viscosity of a Newtonian fluid is often measured by confining the fluid to the gap between a rotating cone that is perpendicular to a fixed disk. We call this experiment cone-plate viscometry. When the cone angle approaches π/2 , the viscometer gap is called narrow. The shear stress in the fluid, throughout a narrow gap, hardly departs from the shear stress exerted on the plate, and we thus call cone-plate flow nearly homogeneous. In this paper, we derive an exact solution for this slight heterogeneity, and from this, we derive the correction factors for the shear rate on the cone and plate, for the torque, and thus, for the measured Newtonian viscosity. These factors thus allow the cone-plate viscometer to be used more accurately, and with cone-angles well below π/2 . We find cone-plate flow field heterogeneity to be far slighter than previously thought. We next use our exact solution for the velocity to arrive at the exact solution for the temperature rise, due to viscous dissipation, in cone-plate flow subject to isothermal boundaries. Since Newtonian viscosity is a strong function of temperature, we expect our new exact solution for the temperature rise be useful to those measuring Newtonian viscosity, and especially so, to those using wide gaps. We include two worked examples to teach practitioners how to use our main results.

  10. Evaluation of finger plate and flat plate connection design.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-01-01

    This project investigates the cause(s) of premature deterioration of MoDOT finger plate and flat plate expansion devices : under high traffic volumes and then uses that information to design new Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) : finger plate...

  11. True Shear Parallel Plate Viscometer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ethridge, Edwin; Kaukler, William

    2010-01-01

    This viscometer (which can also be used as a rheometer) is designed for use with liquids over a large temperature range. The device consists of horizontally disposed, similarly sized, parallel plates with a precisely known gap. The lower plate is driven laterally with a motor to apply shear to the liquid in the gap. The upper plate is freely suspended from a double-arm pendulum with a sufficiently long radius to reduce height variations during the swing to negligible levels. A sensitive load cell measures the shear force applied by the liquid to the upper plate. Viscosity is measured by taking the ratio of shear stress to shear rate.

  12. Electroless plated maghemite for three-dimensional magneto photonic crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mito, Shinichiro; Kawashima, Takuya; Kawaguchi, Takuma; Sasano, Junji; Takagi, Hiroyuki; Inoue, Mitsuteru

    2017-05-01

    Three-dimensional magneto photonic crystals (3D-MPCs) are promising material for manipulating light in 3D space. In this study, we fabricated 3D-MPC that is filling the air-gap of opal photonic crystal with magnetic material by electroless plating. The electroless plating is an attractive film-forming method which provides magnetic material films on various substrates in aqueous solution at 24-90 °C. As magnetic material for filling the air-gap, maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) film was plated in opal photonic crystal. The plated maghemite film showed a Faraday rotation of 0.6 deg./μm at 440 nm and significantly lower absorption than magnetite. The plated opal showed photonic band gap and magneto-optic response. Faraday rotation of the plated opal was enhanced at the band edge. The photonic band gap and the Faraday rotation spectra were changed as a function of incident angle of light. Electroless plating of maghemite could be promising technique for fabricating 3D-MPCs.

  13. The band gap properties of the three-component semi-infinite plate-like LRPC by using PWE/FE method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qian, Denghui; Wang, Jianchun

    2018-06-01

    This paper applies coupled plane wave expansion and finite element (PWE/FE) method to calculate the band structure of the proposed three-component semi-infinite plate-like locally resonant phononic crystal (LRPC). In order to verify the accuracy of the result, the band structure calculated by PWE/FE method is compared to that calculated by the traditional finite element (FE) method, and the frequency range of the band gap in the band structure is compared to that of the attenuation in the transmission power spectrum. Numerical results and further analysis demonstrate that a band gap is opened by the coupling between the dominant vibrations of the rubber layer and the matrix modes. In addition, the influences of the geometry parameters on the band gap are studied and understood with the help of the simple “base-spring-mass” model, the influence of the viscidity of rubber layer on the band gap is also investigated.

  14. Radiation-hard ceramic Resistive Plate Chambers for forward TOF and T0 systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akindinov, A.; Dreyer, J.; Fan, X.; Kämpfer, B.; Kiselev, S.; Kotte, R.; Garcia, A. Laso; Malkevich, D.; Naumann, L.; Nedosekin, A.; Plotnikov, V.; Stach, D.; Sultanov, R.; Voloshin, K.

    2017-02-01

    Resistive Plate Chambers with ceramic electrodes are the main candidates for a use in precise multi-channel timing systems operating in high-radiation conditions. We report the latest R&D results on these detectors aimed to meet the requirements of the forward T0 counter at the CBM experiment. RPC design, gas mixture, limits on the bulk resistivity of ceramic electrodes, efficiency, time resolution, counting rate capabilities and ageing test results are presented.

  15. Sound absorption by clamped poroelastic plates.

    PubMed

    Aygun, H; Attenborough, K

    2008-09-01

    Measurements and predictions have been made of the absorption coefficient and the surface acoustic impedance of poroelastic plates clamped in a large impedance tube and separated from the rigid termination by an air gap. The measured and predicted absorption coefficient and surface impedance spectra exhibit low frequency peaks. The peak frequencies observed in the absorption coefficient are close to those predicted and measured in the deflection spectra of the clamped poroelastic plates. The influences of the rigidity of the clamping conditions and the width of the air gap have been investigated. Both influences are found to be important. Increasing the rigidity of clamping reduces the low frequency absorption peaks compared with those measured for simply supported plates or plates in an intermediate clamping condition. Results for a closed cell foam plate and for two open cell foam plates made from recycled materials are presented. For identical clamping conditions and width of air gap, the results for the different materials differ as a consequence mainly of their different elasticity, thickness, and cell structure.

  16. Biomechanical comparison of straight and helical compression plates for fixation of transverse and oblique bone fractures: Modeling and experiments.

    PubMed

    Sezek, Sinan; Aksakal, Bunyamin; Gürger, Murat; Malkoc, Melih; Say, Y

    2016-08-12

    Total deformation and stability of straight and helical compression plates were studied by means of the finite element method (FEM) and in vitro biomechanical experiments. Fixations of transverse (TF) and oblique (45°) bone (OF) fractures have been analyzed on sheep tibias by designing the straight compression (SP) and Helical Compression Plate (HP) models. The effects of axial compression, bending and torsion loads on both plating systems were analyzed in terms of total displacements. Numerical models and experimental models suggested that under compression loadings, bone fracture gap closures for both fracture types were found to be in the favor of helical plate designs. The helical plate (HP) fixations provided maximum torsional resistance compared to the (SP) fixations. The fracture gap closure and stability of helical plate fixation for transverse fractures was determined to be higher than that found for the oblique fractures. The comparison of average compression stress, bending and torsion moments showed that the FEM and experimental results are in good agreement and such designs are likely to have a positive impact in future bone fracture fixation designs.

  17. Development plates for stable internal fixation: Study of mechanical resistance in simulated fractures of the mandibular condyle.

    PubMed

    Celegatti Filho, Tóride Sebastião; Rodrigues, Danillo Costa; Lauria, Andrezza; Moreira, Roger William Fernandes; Consani, Simonides

    2015-01-01

    To develop Y-shaped plates with different thicknesses to be used in simulated fractures of the mandibular condyle. Ten plates were developed in Y shape, containing eight holes, and 30 synthetic polyurethane mandible replicas were developed for the study. The load test was performed on an Instron Model 4411 universal testing machine, applying load in the mediolateral and anterior-posterior positions on the head of the condyle. Two-way ANOVA with Tukey testing with a 5% significance level was used. It was observed that when the load was applied in the medial-lateral plate of greater thickness (1.5 mm), it gave the highest strength, while in the anteroposterior direction, the plate with the highest resistance was of the lesser thickness (0.6 mm). A plate with a thickness of 1.5 mm was the one with the highest average value for all displacements. In the anteroposterior direction, the highest values of resistance were seen in the displacement of 15 mm. After comparing the values of the biomechanical testing found in the scientific literature, it is suggested that the use of Y plates are suitable for use in subcondylar fractures within the limitations of the study. Copyright © 2014 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. The Role of Work Function and Band Gap in Resistive Switching Behaviour of ZnTe Thin Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rowtu, Srinu; Sangani, L. D. Varma; Krishna, M. Ghanashyam

    2018-02-01

    Resistive switching behavior by engineering the electrode work function and band gap of ZnTe thin films is demonstrated. The device structures Au/ZnTe/Au, Au/ZnTe/Ag, Al/ZnTe/Ag and Pt/ZnTe/Ag were fabricated. ZnTe was deposited by thermal evaporation and the stoichiometry and band gap were controlled by varying the source-substrate distance. Band gap could be varied between 1.0 eV to approximately 4.0 eV with the larger band gap being attributed to the partial oxidation of ZnTe. The transport characteristics reveal that the low-resistance state is ohmic in nature which makes a transition to Poole-Frenkel defect-mediated conductivity in the high-resistance states. The highest R off-to- R on ratio achieved is 109. Interestingly, depending on stoichiometry, both unipolar and bipolar switching can be realized.

  19. Gap state charge induced spin-dependent negative differential resistance in tunnel junctions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Jun; Zhang, X.-G.; Han, X. F.

    2016-04-01

    We propose and demonstrate through first-principles calculation a new spin-dependent negative differential resistance (NDR) mechanism in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) with cubic cation disordered crystals (CCDC) AlO x or Mg1-x Al x O as barrier materials. The CCDC is a class of insulators whose band gap can be changed by cation doping. The gap becomes arched in an ultrathin layer due to the space charge formed from metal-induced gap states. With an appropriate combination of an arched gap and a bias voltage, NDR can be produced in either spin channel. This mechanism is applicable to 2D and 3D ultrathin junctions with a sufficiently small band gap that forms a large space charge. It provides a new way of controlling the spin-dependent transport in spintronic devices by an electric field. A generalized Simmons formula for tunneling current through junction with an arched gap is derived to show the general conditions under which ultrathin junctions may exhibit NDR.

  20. Segmentation of plate coupling, fate of subduction fluids, and modes of arc magmatism in Cascadia, inferred from magnetotelluric resistivity

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wannamaker, Philip E.; Evans, Rob L.; Bedrosian, Paul A.; Unsworth, Martyn J.; Maris, Virginie; McGary, R. Shane

    2014-01-01

    Five magnetotelluric (MT) profiles have been acquired across the Cascadia subduction system and transformed using 2-D and 3-D nonlinear inversion to yield electrical resistivity cross sections to depths of ∼200 km. Distinct changes in plate coupling, subduction fluid evolution, and modes of arc magmatism along the length of Cascadia are clearly expressed in the resistivity structure. Relatively high resistivities under the coasts of northern and southern Cascadia correlate with elevated degrees of inferred plate locking, and suggest fluid- and sediment-deficient conditions. In contrast, the north-central Oregon coastal structure is quite conductive from the plate interface to shallow depths offshore, correlating with poor plate locking and the possible presence of subducted sediments. Low-resistivity fluidized zones develop at slab depths of 35–40 km starting ∼100 km west of the arc on all profiles, and are interpreted to represent prograde metamorphic fluid release from the subducting slab. The fluids rise to forearc Moho levels, and sometimes shallower, as the arc is approached. The zones begin close to clusters of low-frequency earthquakes, suggesting fluid controls on the transition to steady sliding. Under the northern and southern Cascadia arc segments, low upper mantle resistivities are consistent with flux melting above the slab plus possible deep convective backarc upwelling toward the arc. In central Cascadia, extensional deformation is interpreted to segregate upper mantle melts leading to underplating and low resistivities at Moho to lower crustal levels below the arc and nearby backarc. The low- to high-temperature mantle wedge transition lies slightly trenchward of the arc.

  1. The microstructural dependence of wear resistance in austenite containing plate steels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wolfram, Preston Charles

    The purpose of this project was to examine the microstructural dependence of wear resistance of various plate steels, with interests in exploring the influence of retained austenite (RA). Materials resistant to abrasive wear are desirable in the industrial areas of agriculture, earth moving, excavation, mining, mineral processing, and transportation. Abrasive wear contributes to significant financial cost associated with wear to the industry. The motivation for the current study was to determine whether it would be beneficial from a wear resistance perspective to produce plate steels with increased amounts of retained austenite. This thesis investigates this motivation through a material matrix containing AR400F, Abrasive (0.21 wt pct C, 1.26 wt pct Mn, 0.21 wt pct Si, 0.15 wt pct Ni, 0.18 wt pct Mo), Armor (0.46 wt pct C, 0.54 wt pct Mn, 0.36 wt pct Si, 1.74 wt pct Ni, 0.31 wt pct Mo), 9260, 301SS, Hadfield, and SAE 4325 steels. The Abrasive, Armor and 9260 steels were heat treated using different methods such as quench and temper, isothermal bainitic hold, and quench and partitioning (Q&P). These heat treatments yielded various microstructures and the test matrix allowed for investigation of steels with similar hardness and varying levels of RA. The wear test methods used consisted of dry sand rubber wheel (DSRW), impeller-tumbler impact-abrasion (impeller), and Bond abrasion wear testing. DSRW and impeller wear resistance was found to increase with hardness and retained austenite levels at certain hardness levels. Some Q&P samples exhibited similar or less wear than the Hadfield steels in DSRW and impeller tests. Scanning electron microscopy investigation of wear surfaces revealed different wear mechanisms for the different wear test methods ranging from micro-plowing, to micro-cutting and to fragmentation.

  2. Aerodynamics of a translating comb-like plate inspired by a fairyfly wing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Seung Hun; Kim, Daegyoum

    2017-08-01

    Unlike the smooth wings of common insects or birds, micro-scale insects such as the fairyfly have a distinctive wing geometry, comprising a frame with several bristles. Motivated by this peculiar wing geometry, we experimentally investigated the flow structure of a translating comb-like wing for a wide range of gap size, angle of attack, and Reynolds number, Re = O(10) - O(103), and the correlation of these parameters with aerodynamic performance. The flow structures of a smooth plate without a gap and a comb-like plate are significantly different at high Reynolds number, while little difference was observed at the low Reynolds number of O(10). At low Reynolds number, shear layers that were generated at the edges of the tooth of the comb-like plate strongly diffuse and eventually block a gap. This gap blockage increases the effective surface area of the plate and alters the formation of leading-edge and trailing-edge vortices. As a result, the comb-like plate generates larger aerodynamic force per unit area than the smooth plate. In addition to a quasi-steady phase after the comb-like plate travels several chords, we also studied a starting phase of the shear layer development when the comb-like plate begins to translate from rest. While a plate with small gap size can generate aerodynamic force at the starting phase as effectively as at the quasi-steady phase, the aerodynamic force drops noticeably for a plate with a large gap because the diffusion of the developing shear layers is not enough to block the gap.

  3. Treatment regimens for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis: highlighting a research gap.

    PubMed

    Stagg, H R; Hatherell, H-A; Lipman, M C; Harris, R J; Abubakar, I

    2016-07-01

    Treatment guidance for non-multidrug-resistant (MDR) rifampicin-resistant (RMP-R) tuberculosis (TB) is variable. We aimed to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of the randomised controlled trial (RCT) data behind such guidelines to identify the most efficacious treatment regimens. Ovid MEDLINE, the Web of Science and EMBASE were mined using search terms for TB, drug therapy and RCTs. Despite 12 604 records being retrieved, only three studies reported treatment outcomes by regimen for patients with non-MDR RMP-R disease, preventing meta-analysis. Our systematic review highlights a substantial gap in the literature regarding evidence-based treatment regimens for RMP-R TB.

  4. Biomechanical effect of the configuration of screw hole style on locking plate fixation in proximal humerus fracture with a simulated gap: A finite element analysis.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ya-Kui; Wei, Hung-Wen; Lin, Kang-Ping; Chen, Wen-Chuan; Tsai, Cheng-Lun; Lin, Kun-Jhih

    2016-06-01

    Locking plate fixation for proximal humeral fractures is a commonly used device. Recently, plate breakages were continuously reported that the implants all have a mixture of holes allowing placement of both locking and non-locking screws (so-called combi plates). In commercialized proximal humeral plates, there still are two screw hole styles included "locking and dynamic holes separated" and "locking hole only" configurations. It is important to understand the biomechanical effect of different screw hole style on the stress distribution in bone plate. Finite element method was employed to conduct a computational investigation. Three proximal humeral plate models with different screw hole configurations were reconstructed depended upon an identical commercialized implant. A three-dimensional model of a humerus was created using process of thresholding based on the grayscale values of the CT scanning of an intact humerus. A "virtual" subcapital osteotomy was performed. Simulations were performed under an increasing axial load. The von Mises stresses around the screw holes of the plate shaft, the construct stiffness and the directional displacement within the fracture gap were calculated for comparison. The mean value of the peak von Mises stresses around the screw holes in the plate shaft was the highest for combi hole design while it was smallest for the locking and dynamic holes separated design. The stiffness of the plate-bone construct was 15% higher in the locking screw only design (132.6N/mm) compared with the combi design (115.0N/mm), and it was 4% higher than the combi design for the locking and dynamic holes separated design (119.5N/mm). The displacement within the fracture gap was greatest in the combi hole design, whereas it was smallest for the locking hole only design. The computed results provide a possible explanation for the breakages of combi plates revealed in clinical reports. The locking and dynamic holes separated design may be a better

  5. Enhancing the corrosion resistance of the 2205 duplex stainless steel bipolar plates in PEMFCs environment by surface enriched molybdenum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jinlong, Lv; Zhuqing, Wang; Tongxiang, Liang; Ken, Suzuki; Hideo, Miura

    Surface molybdenum enrichment on 2205 duplex stainless steel was obtained by the ball milling technique. The electrochemical results showed molybdenum enrichment on the surface of 2205 duplex stainless steel improved its corrosion resistance in a typical proton exchange membrane fuel cell environment. This was mainly attributed to higher molybdenum content in the passive film formed on 2205 duplex stainless steel after ball milling. The decreased donor and acceptor concentrations improved significantly the corrosion resistance of surface molybdenum-enriched 2205 duplex stainless steel bipolar plates in the simulated cathodic proton exchange membrane fuel cells environment. In addition, the interfacial contact resistance of the 2205 duplex stainless steel bipolar plates slightly decreased due to surface molybdenum enrichment.

  6. Root-soil air gap and resistance to water flow at the soil-root interface of Robinia pseudoacacia.

    PubMed

    Liu, X P; Zhang, W J; Wang, X Y; Cai, Y J; Chang, J G

    2015-12-01

    During periods of water deficit, growing roots may shrink, retaining only partial contact with the soil. In this study, known mathematical models were used to calculate the root-soil air gap and water flow resistance at the soil-root interface, respectively, of Robinia pseudoacacia L. under different water conditions. Using a digital camera, the root-soil air gap of R. pseudoacacia was investigated in a root growth chamber; this root-soil air gap and the model-inferred water flow resistance at the soil-root interface were compared with predictions based on a separate outdoor experiment. The results indicated progressively greater root shrinkage and loss of root-soil contact with decreasing soil water potential. The average widths of the root-soil air gap for R. pseudoacacia in open fields and in the root growth chamber were 0.24 and 0.39 mm, respectively. The resistance to water flow at the soil-root interface in both environments increased with decreasing soil water potential. Stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that soil water potential and soil temperature were the best predictors of variation in the root-soil air gap. A combination of soil water potential, soil temperature, root-air water potential difference and soil-root water potential difference best predicted the resistance to water flow at the soil-root interface. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Field emission from carbon nanotube fibers in varying anode-cathode gap with the consideration of contact resistance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Peng; Fairchild, S. B.; Back, T. C.; Luo, Yi

    2017-12-01

    This paper studies field emission (FE) from a single carbon nanotube (CNT) fiber with different anode-cathode (AK) gap distances. It is found that the field enhancement factor depends strongly on the finite AK gap distance, due to the combination of geometrical effects and possible fiber morphology change. The geometrical effects of AK gap distance on the field enhancement factor are confirmed using COMSOL simulations. The slope drop in the Fowler-Northeim (FN) plot of the FE data in the high voltage is related to the electrical contact resistance between the CNT fiber and the substrate. It is found that even a small series resistance to the field emitter (<30% of the emission gap impedance) can strongly modify the FE characteristics in the high voltage regime, inducing a strong deviation from the linear FN plot.

  8. Resistive Plate Chambers as thermal neutron detectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abbrescia, M.; Mongelli, T.; Paticchio, V.; Ranieri, A.; Trentadue, R.

    2003-09-01

    We present a construction procedure suitable to make Resistive Plate Chambers detectors sensitive also to thermal neutrons. This procedure, consisting in coating the inner surface of one of the RPC Bakelite electrodes with a mixture of linseed oil and Gd203, is very simple, cheap, and suitable to be employed for industrial, medical or de-mining applications. Here the results of extensive tests aimed to asset the performance of two prototypes of Gd-RPCs are shown. While the detection efficiency to thermal neutrons for a standard not Gd-coated RPC results to be about 0.1%, Gd-RPCs reach, in stand-alone, absolute efficiencies of about 10%, and, when two of these detectors are coupled together, more than 15%. In addition RPCs have excellent time resolution and good imaging performance. This new type, position sensitive gas detector can be operated at atmospheric pressure, is light-weighted, has low γ-ray sensitivity, and is easy to build and handle even when large areas are to be covered.

  9. Resistive Plate Chambers for imaging calorimetry — The DHCAL

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Repond, J.

    2014-09-01

    The DHCAL — the Digital Hadron Calorimeter — is a prototype calorimeter based on Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs). The design emphasizes the imaging capabilities of the detector in an effort to optimize the calorimeter for the application of Particle Flow Algorithms (PFAs) to the reconstruction of hadronic jet energies in a colliding beam environment. The readout of the chambers is segmented into 1 × 1 cm2 pads, each read out with a 1-bit (single threshold) resolution. The prototype with approximately 500,000 readout channels underwent extensive testing in both the Fermilab and CERN test beams. This talk presents preliminary findings from the analysis of data collected at the test beams.

  10. Effect of manufacturing process sequence on the corrosion resistance characteristics of coated metallic bipolar plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dur, Ender; Cora, Ömer Necati; Koç, Muammer

    2014-01-01

    Metallic bipolar plate (BPP) with high corrosion and low contact resistance, durability, strength, low cost, volume, and weight requirements is one of the critical parts of the PEMFC. This study is dedicated to understand the effect of the process sequence (manufacturing then coating vs. coating then manufacturing) on the corrosion resistance of coated metallic bipolar plates. To this goal, three different PVD coatings (titanium nitride (TiN), chromium nitride (CrN), zirconium nitride (ZrN)), with three thicknesses, (0.1, 0.5, 1 μm) were applied on BPPs made of 316L stainless steel alloy before and after two types of manufacturing (i.e., stamping or hydroforming). Corrosion test results indicated that ZrN coating exhibited the best corrosion protection while the performance of TiN coating was the lowest among the tested coatings and thicknesses. For most of the cases tested, in which coating was applied before manufacturing, occurrence of corrosion was found to be more profound than the case where coating was applied after manufacturing. Increasing the coating thickness was found to improve the corrosion resistance. It was also revealed that hydroformed BPPs performed slightly better than stamped BPPs in terms of the corrosion behavior.

  11. Plantar Plating for the Treatment of Proximal Fifth Metatarsal Fractures in Elite Athletes.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, Ronald J; Duplantier, Neil L; Delgado, Domenica A; Lambert, Bradley S; McCulloch, Patrick C; Harris, Joshua D; Varner, Kevin E

    2017-05-01

    Proximal fifth metatarsal fractures, zones II and III, are commonly treated surgically, especially in elite athletes. Intramedullary screw fixation remains the most used construct despite nonunion and refracture. High tensile forces on the plantar-lateral aspect of the fifth metatarsal are difficult to control, and intramedullary screw fixation depends on ideal screw position, length, and width. The authors present a plantar plating technique with cancellous bone autograft for zones II and III proximal fifth metatarsal fractures. Rotational instability and plantar-lateral gapping are resisted by applying a compression plate to the tension side of the fracture, eliminating causes for failure. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(3):e563-e566.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

  12. Parallel-plate submicron gap formed by micromachined low-density pillars for near-field radiative heat transfer

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

    Ito, Kota, E-mail: kotaito@mosk.tytlabs.co.jp; Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology; Miura, Atsushi

    Near-field radiative heat transfer has been a subject of great interest due to the applicability to thermal management and energy conversion. In this letter, a submicron gap between a pair of diced fused quartz substrates is formed by using micromachined low-density pillars to obtain both the parallelism and small parasitic heat conduction. The gap uniformity is validated by the optical interferometry at four corners of the substrates. The heat flux across the gap is measured in a steady-state and is no greater than twice of theoretically predicted radiative heat flux, which indicates that the parasitic heat conduction is suppressed tomore » the level of the radiative heat transfer or less. The heat conduction through the pillars is modeled, and it is found to be limited by the thermal contact resistance between the pillar top and the opposing substrate surface. The methodology to form and evaluate the gap promotes the near-field radiative heat transfer to various applications such as thermal rectification, thermal modulation, and thermophotovoltaics.« less

  13. Edge waves and resonances in two-dimensional phononic crystal plates

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

    Hsu, Jin-Chen, E-mail: hsujc@yuntech.edu.tw; Hsu, Chih-Hsun

    2015-05-07

    We present a numerical study on phononic band gaps and resonances occurring at the edge of a semi-infinite two-dimensional (2D) phononic crystal plate. The edge supports localized edge waves coupling to evanescent phononic plate modes that decay exponentially into the semi-infinite phononic crystal plate. The band-gap range and the number of edge-wave eigenmodes can be tailored by tuning the distance between the edge and the semi-infinite 2D phononic lattice. As a result, a phononic band gap for simultaneous edge waves and plate waves is created, and phononic cavities beside the edge can be built to support high-frequency edge resonances. Wemore » design an L3 edge cavity and analyze its resonance characteristics. Based on the band gap, high quality factor and strong confinement of resonant edge modes are achieved. The results enable enhanced control over acoustic energy flow in phononic crystal plates, which can be used in designing micro and nanoscale resonant devices and coupling of edge resonances to other types of phononic or photonic crystal cavities.« less

  14. Electroless plating Cu-Co-P polyalloy on UV/ozonolysis irradiated polyethylene terephthalate film and its corrosion resistance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hou, Lei; Bi, Siyi; Zhao, Hang; Xu, Yumeng; Mu, Yuhang; Lu, Yinxiang

    2017-05-01

    High corrosion resistant Cu-Co-P coatings were firstly prepared on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate by electroless plating in combination with UV/ozonolysis irradiation under optimized cobalt sulfate heptahydrate concentration, pH value, plating temperature and time. The copper polyalloy/PET composite can be obtained in three steps, namely: (i) the generation of oxygen-containing functionalities (carboxylic groups) onto PET surface through UV irradiation combined with ozone, (ii) Cu seeding catalysts were obtained after being immersed into cupric citrate and NaBH4 solutions subsequently, and (iii) Cu-Co-P polyalloy metallization using electroless plating bath. Attenuated total reflection fourier transformation infrared spectrometer (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), water contact angle measurement and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) were utilized to track the surface changes during the whole process. The electroless plating conditions were optimized by an orthogonal experiment (L9(3)4) for Cu-Co-P coating as follows: CoSO4·7H2O addition of 0.08 M, pH value, plating temperature and time were set on 10.0, 35 °C and 25 min, respectively. Under the optimal conditions, copper polyalloy possessed high adhesive strength and the lowest surface resistance (8.06 Ω/sq), while maintaining reliability even after over 1000 times of bending and mechanical stress. The results of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) measurements showed that Cu-Co-P layer formed on PET surface was imparted with fine uniformity and high compactness. Electrochemical test revealed the optimized Cu-Co-P coatings exhibited high corrosion resistance in NaCl, NaOH and HCl solutions, respectively. The excellent electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE >99.999% at frequency ranging from 30 MHz to 1000 MHz) of copper polyalloy/PET composites was confirmed by the spectrum analyzer. Therefore, this copper polyalloy will

  15. Process optimization for particle removal on blank chrome mask plates in preparation for resist application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Osborne, Stephen; Smith, Eryn; Woster, Eric; Pelayo, Anthony

    2002-03-01

    As integrated circuits require smaller lines to provide the memory and processing capability for tomorrow's marketplace, the photomask industry is adopting higher contrast resists to improve photomask lithography. Photomask yield for several high-contrast resist recipes may be improved by coating masks at the mask shop. When coating at a mask shop, an effective method is available that uses coat/bake cluster tools to ensure blanks are clean prior to coating. Many high-contrast resists are available, and some are more susceptible to time-dependent performance factors than conventional resists. One of these factors is the time between coating and writing. Although future methods may reduce the impact of this factor, one current trend is to reduce this time by coating plates at the mask shop just prior to writing. Establishing an effective process to clean blanks prior to coating is necessary for product quality control and is a new task that is critical for maskmakers who previously purchased mask plates but have decided to begin coating them within their facility. This paper provides a strategy and method to be used within coat/bake cluster tools to remove particle contamination from mask blanks. The process uses excimer-UV ionizing radiation and ozone to remove organic contaminants, and then uses a wet process combined with megasonic agitation, surfactant, and spin forces. Megasonic agitation with surfactant lifts up particles, while the convective outflow of water enhances centripetal shear without accumulating harmful charge.

  16. Results of convective heating tests of a longitudinal gap on the Rockwell flat plate model (15-0, insert 7) in the NASA/Ames Research Center

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Quan, M.; Lockman, W. K.

    1975-01-01

    Results are presented which were obtained from tests in a hypersonic wind tunnel to determine aerodynamic heating rates in a gap running parallel or slightly askew to the flow direction. The model used was a flat plate instrumented in thin-skin sections with chromelconstantan thermocouples. Heating rate profiles lengthwise along and down into the gap were obtained, and additional data were obtained from a total temperature probe and rake fabricated during the test to investigate an apparent aerodynamic cooling trend in the gap. Model variables were width, depth, length, and orientation of the gap relative to the flow direction. The tests were conducted at Mach 5.1 and Reynolds numbers per foot of 500,000, 1,000,000, and 2,000,000.

  17. A Novel 96well-formatted Micro-gap Plate Enabling Drug Response Profiling on Primary Tumour Samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Wei-Yuan; Hsiung, Lo-Chang; Wang, Chen-Ho; Chiang, Chi-Ling; Lin, Ching-Hung; Huang, Chiun-Sheng; Wo, Andrew M.

    2015-04-01

    Drug-based treatments are the most widely used interventions for cancer management. Personalized drug response profiling remains inherently challenging with low cell count harvested from tumour sample. We present a 96well-formatted microfluidic plate with built-in micro-gap that preserves up to 99.2% of cells during multiple assay/wash operation and only 9,000 cells needed for a single reagent test (i.e. 1,000 cells per test spot x 3 selected concentration x triplication), enabling drug screening and compatibility with conventional automated workstations. Results with MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines showed that no statistical significance was found in dose-response between the device and conventional 96-well plate control. Primary tumour samples from breast cancer patients tested in the device also showed good IC50 prediction. With drug screening of primary cancer cells must consider a wide range of scenarios, e.g. suspended/attached cell types and rare/abundant cell availability, the device enables high throughput screening even for suspended cells with low cell count since the signature microfluidic cell-trapping feature ensures cell preservation in a multiple solution exchange protocol.

  18. Modeling the hydrodynamics of Phloem sieve plates.

    PubMed

    Jensen, Kaare Hartvig; Mullendore, Daniel Leroy; Holbrook, Noel Michele; Bohr, Tomas; Knoblauch, Michael; Bruus, Henrik

    2012-01-01

    Sieve plates have an enormous impact on the efficiency of the phloem vascular system of plants, responsible for the distribution of photosynthetic products. These thin plates, which separate neighboring phloem cells, are perforated by a large number of tiny sieve pores and are believed to play a crucial role in protecting the phloem sap from intruding animals by blocking flow when the phloem cell is damaged. The resistance to the flow of viscous sap in the phloem vascular system is strongly affected by the presence of the sieve plates, but the hydrodynamics of the flow through them remains poorly understood. We propose a theoretical model for quantifying the effect of sieve plates on the phloem in the plant, thus unifying and improving previous work in the field. Numerical simulations of the flow in real and idealized phloem channels verify our model, and anatomical data from 19 plant species are investigated. We find that the sieve plate resistance is correlated to the cell lumen resistance, and that the sieve plate and the lumen contribute almost equally to the total hydraulic resistance of the phloem translocation pathway.

  19. Modeling the Hydrodynamics of Phloem Sieve Plates

    PubMed Central

    Jensen, Kaare Hartvig; Mullendore, Daniel Leroy; Holbrook, Noel Michele; Bohr, Tomas; Knoblauch, Michael; Bruus, Henrik

    2012-01-01

    Sieve plates have an enormous impact on the efficiency of the phloem vascular system of plants, responsible for the distribution of photosynthetic products. These thin plates, which separate neighboring phloem cells, are perforated by a large number of tiny sieve pores and are believed to play a crucial role in protecting the phloem sap from intruding animals by blocking flow when the phloem cell is damaged. The resistance to the flow of viscous sap in the phloem vascular system is strongly affected by the presence of the sieve plates, but the hydrodynamics of the flow through them remains poorly understood. We propose a theoretical model for quantifying the effect of sieve plates on the phloem in the plant, thus unifying and improving previous work in the field. Numerical simulations of the flow in real and idealized phloem channels verify our model, and anatomical data from 19 plant species are investigated. We find that the sieve plate resistance is correlated to the cell lumen resistance, and that the sieve plate and the lumen contribute almost equally to the total hydraulic resistance of the phloem translocation pathway. PMID:22811681

  20. PBX 9502 air-gap tests

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

    Dickson, Peter; Novak, Alan M.; Foley, Timothy J.

    A small number of simple air-gap tests were performed on 1-inch diameter PBX 9502 cylinders to determine an approximate threshold for detonation failure. The primary diagnostics were streak imaging and dent measurements in a steel witness plate. Relight was found to occur, with negligible excess transit time, for air gaps up to 1 mm. Relight did not occur with a 3-mm air gap.

  1. Gas mixture studies for streamer operated Resistive Plate Chambers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paoloni, A.; Longhin, A.; Mengucci, A.; Pupilli, F.; Ventura, M.

    2016-06-01

    Resistive Plate Chambers operated in streamer mode are interesting detectors in neutrino and astro-particle physics applications (like OPERA and ARGO experiments). Such experiments are typically characterized by large area apparatuses with no stringent requirements on detector aging and rate capabilities. In this paper, results of cosmic ray tests performed on a RPC prototype using different gas mixtures are presented, the principal aim being the optimization of the TetraFluoroPropene concentration in Argon-based mixtures. The introduction of TetraFluoroPropene, besides its low Global Warming Power, is helpful because it simplifies safety requirements allowing to remove also isobutane from the mixture. Results obtained with mixtures containing SF6, CF4, CO2, N2 and He are also shown, presented both in terms of detectors properties (efficiency, multiple-streamer probability and time resolution) and in terms of streamer characteristics.

  2. Nuclear reactor alignment plate configuration

    DOEpatents

    Altman, David A; Forsyth, David R; Smith, Richard E; Singleton, Norman R

    2014-01-28

    An alignment plate that is attached to a core barrel of a pressurized water reactor and fits within slots within a top plate of a lower core shroud and upper core plate to maintain lateral alignment of the reactor internals. The alignment plate is connected to the core barrel through two vertically-spaced dowel pins that extend from the outside surface of the core barrel through a reinforcement pad and into corresponding holes in the alignment plate. Additionally, threaded fasteners are inserted around the perimeter of the reinforcement pad and into the alignment plate to further secure the alignment plate to the core barrel. A fillet weld also is deposited around the perimeter of the reinforcement pad. To accomodate thermal growth between the alignment plate and the core barrel, a gap is left above, below and at both sides of one of the dowel pins in the alignment plate holes through with the dowel pins pass.

  3. Resistive Plate Chambers with Gd-coated electrodes as thermal neutron detectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abbrescia, M.; Iaselli, G.; Mongelli, T.; Paticchio, V.; Ranieri, A.; Trentadue, R.

    2003-12-01

    Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) are wide spread, cheap, easy-to-build and large size detectors, used mainly to reveal ionizing particles in high energy experiments. Here a tecnique, consisting in coating the inner surface of the bakelite electrodes with a mixture of linseed oil and Gd2O3 will be reported; this allows to make RPCs sensitive also to thermal neutrons, making them suitable to be employed for industrial, medical or de-ming applications. This new type, position sensitive gas detector can be operated at atmospheric pressure, is lightweighted, has low γ-ray sensitivity, and is easy to handle even when large areas are to be covered.

  4. Laterally configured resistive switching device based on transition-metal nano-gap electrode on Gd oxide

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

    Kawakita, Masatoshi; Okabe, Kyota; Kimura, Takashi

    2016-01-11

    We have developed a fabrication process for a laterally configured resistive switching device based on a Gd oxide. A nano-gap electrode connected by a Gd oxide with the ideal interfaces has been created by adapting the electro-migration method in a metal/GdO{sub x} bilayer system. Bipolar set and reset operations have been clearly observed in the Pt/GdO{sub x} system similarly in the vertical device based on GdO{sub x}. Interestingly, we were able to observe a clear bipolar switching also in a ferromagnetic CoFeB nano-gap electrode with better stability compared to the Pt/GdO{sub x} device. The superior performance of the CoFeB/GdO{sub x}more » device implies the importance of the spin on the resistive switching.« less

  5. Critical knowledge gaps and research needs related to the environmental dimensions of antibiotic resistance.

    PubMed

    Larsson, D G Joakim; Andremont, Antoine; Bengtsson-Palme, Johan; Brandt, Kristian Koefoed; de Roda Husman, Ana Maria; Fagerstedt, Patriq; Fick, Jerker; Flach, Carl-Fredrik; Gaze, William H; Kuroda, Makoto; Kvint, Kristian; Laxminarayan, Ramanan; Manaia, Celia M; Nielsen, Kaare Magne; Plant, Laura; Ploy, Marie-Cécile; Segovia, Carlos; Simonet, Pascal; Smalla, Kornelia; Snape, Jason; Topp, Edward; van Hengel, Arjon J; Verner-Jeffreys, David W; Virta, Marko P J; Wellington, Elizabeth M; Wernersson, Ann-Sofie

    2018-08-01

    There is growing understanding that the environment plays an important role both in the transmission of antibiotic resistant pathogens and in their evolution. Accordingly, researchers and stakeholders world-wide seek to further explore the mechanisms and drivers involved, quantify risks and identify suitable interventions. There is a clear value in establishing research needs and coordinating efforts within and across nations in order to best tackle this global challenge. At an international workshop in late September 2017, scientists from 14 countries with expertise on the environmental dimensions of antibiotic resistance gathered to define critical knowledge gaps. Four key areas were identified where research is urgently needed: 1) the relative contributions of different sources of antibiotics and antibiotic resistant bacteria into the environment; 2) the role of the environment, and particularly anthropogenic inputs, in the evolution of resistance; 3) the overall human and animal health impacts caused by exposure to environmental resistant bacteria; and 4) the efficacy and feasibility of different technological, social, economic and behavioral interventions to mitigate environmental antibiotic resistance. 1 . Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  6. Finite element normal mode analysis of resistance welding jointed of dissimilar plate hat structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nazri, N. A.; Sani, M. S. M.

    2017-10-01

    Structural joints offer connection between structural element (beam, plate, solid etc.) in order to build a whole assembled structure. The complex behaviour of connecting elements plays a valuable role in characteristics of dynamic such as natural frequencies and mode shapes. In automotive structures, the trustworthiness arrangement of the structure extremely depends on joints. In this paper, top hat structure is modelled and designed with spot welding joint using dissimilar materials which is mild steel 1010 and stainless steel 304, using finite element software. Different types of connector elements such as rigid body element (RBE2), welding joint element (CWELD), and bar element (CBAR) are applied to represent real connection between two dissimilar plates. Normal mode analysis is simulated with different types of joining element in order to determine modal properties. Natural frequencies using RBE2, CBAR and CWELD are compared to equivalent rigid body method. Connection that gives the lowest percentage error among these three will be selected as the most reliable joining for resistance spot weld. From the analysis, it is shown that CWELD is better compared to others in term of weld joining among dissimilar plate materials. It is expected that joint modelling of finite element plays significant role in structural dynamics.

  7. High resolution muon tracking with resistive plate chambers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baesso, P.; Cussans, D.; Davies, J.; Glaysher, P.; Thomay, C.; Vassallo, C.; Velthuis, J.; Quillin, S.; Robertson, S.; Steer, C.

    2012-11-01

    Following their introduction in the physics community in the early '80s the use of Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) as charged particles detectors has constantly increased. Low cost per unit area, good time resolution and easy of operation are some of the features that contributed to such large adoption and that make RPCs interesting for several applications not necessarily related to physics. We built a prototype detector to track cosmic muons and exploit the information provided by estimating the multiple coulomb scattering angle to determine the type of materials they traversed. Simulations show that the technique could be used to inspect a cargo container in a time of the order of minutes. The detector we built consists of six planes, each one providing X-Y readout over a 50 cm × 50 cm area. The readout scheme we adopted, based on multiplexing chips used in high energy physics, allowed us to use a limited amount of electronic output channels while still obtaining a spatial resolution lower than 1 mm. An overview of the detector and of the analysis performed on the data is provided.

  8. Resistive plate chambers in positron emission tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crespo, Paulo; Blanco, Alberto; Couceiro, Miguel; Ferreira, Nuno C.; Lopes, Luís; Martins, Paulo; Ferreira Marques, Rui; Fonte, Paulo

    2013-07-01

    Resistive plate chambers (RPC) were originally deployed for high energy physics. Realizing how their properties match the needs of nuclear medicine, a LIP team proposed applying RPCs to both preclinical and clinical positron emission tomography (RPC-PET). We show a large-area RPC-PET simulated scanner covering an axial length of 2.4m —slightly superior to the height of the human body— allowing for whole-body, single-bed RPC-PET acquisitions. Simulations following NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association, USA) protocols yield a system sensitivity at least one order of magnitude larger than present-day, commercial PET systems. Reconstruction of whole-body simulated data is feasible by using a dedicated, direct time-of-flight-based algorithm implemented onto an ordered subsets estimation maximization parallelized strategy. Whole-body RPC-PET patient images following the injection of only 2mCi of 18-fluorodesoxyglucose (FDG) are expected to be ready 7 minutes after the 6 minutes necessary for data acquisition. This compares to the 10-20mCi FDG presently injected for a PET scan, and to the uncomfortable 20-30minutes necessary for its data acquisition. In the preclinical field, two fully instrumented detector heads have been assembled aiming at a four-head-based, small-animal RPC-PET system. Images of a disk-shaped and a needle-like 22Na source show unprecedented sub-millimeter spatial resolution.

  9. Gravity tectonics and seismic gaps in the mantle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liu, H. S.

    1974-01-01

    The concept of gravity tectonics is applied to reveal the major clue as to the conditions which result in the correspondence of seismic and tectonic gaps in the mantle. An asymptotic theory is developed for the calculation of the thrust and moment when a descending lithospheric plate encounters resistance to its downward motion in the mesosphere. Dynamic analysis falls into two parts: (1) deriving equations for forces in the descending lithosphere, (2) deducing moment distribution which causes the detachment of lithosphere. For the analysis of forces a mathematical theory of shells is given. In order to determine the detachment mechanism, solutions of equations are obtained by asymptotic integration. It is found that a thrust N sub phi coupled with a moment M sub phi due to gravitational forces generated by density contrast may play a key role in the initial detachment of a piece of descending lithosphere. The results are in agreement with the observed seismic gaps beneath South America, Toga-Fiji, New Zealand and New Hebrides regions.

  10. Effects of gap width on droplet transfer behavior in ultra-narrow gap laser welding of high strength aluminum alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Chaoqun; Dong, Shiyun; Yan, Shixing; He, Jiawu; Xu, Binshi; He, Peng

    2017-10-01

    Ultra-narrow gap laser welding is a novel method for thick high strength aluminum alloy plate for its lower heat input, less deformation and higher efficiency. To obtain a perfect welding quality, it is vital to control the more complex droplet transfer behavior under the influence of ultra-narrow gap groove. This paper reports the effects of gap width of groove on droplet transfer behavior in ultra-narrow gap laser welding of 7A52 aluminum alloy plates by a high speed camera, using an ER 5356 filler wire. The results showed that the gap width had directly effects on droplet transfer mode and droplet shape. The droplet transfer modes were, in order, both-sidewall transfer, single-sidewall transfer, globular droplet transfer and bridging transfer, with different droplet shape and transition period, as the gap width increased from 2 mm to 3.5mm. The effect of gap width on lack of fusion was also studied to analyze the cause for lack of fusion at the bottom and on the sidewall of groove. Finally, with a 2.5 mm U-type parallel groove, a single-pass joint with no lack of fusion and other macro welding defects was successfully obtained in a single-sidewall transfer mode.

  11. Consecutive Plate Acoustic Suppressor Apparatus and Methods

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Doychak, Joseph (Inventor); Parrott, Tony L. (Inventor)

    1993-01-01

    An apparatus and method for suppressing acoustic noise utilizes consecutive plates, closely spaced to each other so as to exploit dissipation associated with sound propagation in narrow channels to optimize the acoustic resistance at a liner surface. The closely spaced plates can be utilized as high temperature structural materials for jet engines by constructing the plates from composite materials. Geometries of the plates, such as plate depth, shape, thickness, inter-plate spacing, arrangement, etc., can be selected to achieve bulk material-like behavior.

  12. Aluminum transfer method for plating plastics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goodrich, W. D.; Stalmach, C. J., Jr.

    1977-01-01

    Electroless plating technique produces plate of uniform thickness. Hardness and abrasion resistance can be increased further by heat treatment. Method results in seamless coating over many materials, has low thermal conductivity, and is relatively inexpensive compared to conventional methods.

  13. Cadmium plating replacements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nelson, Mary J.; Groshart, Earl C.

    1995-01-01

    The Boeing Company has been searching for replacements to cadmium plate. Two alloy plating systems seem close to meeting the needs of a cadmium replacement. The two alloys, zinc-nickel and tin-zinc are from alloy plating baths; both baths are neutral pH. The alloys meet the requirements for salt fog corrosion resistance, and both alloys excel as a paint base. Currently, tests are being performed on standard fasteners to compare zinc-nickel and tin-zinc on threaded hardware where cadmium is heavily used. The Hydrogen embrittlement propensity of the zinc-nickel bath has been tested, and just beginning for the tin-zinc bath. Another area of interest is the electrical properties on aluminum for tin-zinc and will be discussed. The zinc-nickel alloy plating bath is in production in Boeing Commercial Airplane Group for non-critical low strength steels. The outlook is promising that these two coatings will help The Boeing Company significantly reduce its dependence on cadmium plating.

  14. Investigations on the corrosion resistance of metallic bipolar plates (BPP) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) - understanding the effects of material, coating and manufacturing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dur, Ender

    Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) systems are promising technology for contributing to meet the deficiency of world`s clean and sustainable energy requirements in the near future. Metallic bipolar plate (BPP) as one of the most significant components of PEMFC device accounts for the largest part of the fuel cell`s stack. Corrosion for metallic bipolar plates is a critical issue, which influences the performance and durability of PEMFC. Corrosion causes adverse impacts on the PEMFC`s performance jeopardizing commercialization. This research is aimed at determining the corrosion resistance of metallic BPPs, particularly stainless steels, used in PEMFC from different aspects. Material selection, coating selection, manufacturing process development and cost considerations need to be addressed in terms of the corrosion behavior to justify the use of stainless steels as a BPP material in PEMFC and to make them commercially feasible in industrial applications. In this study, Ti, Ni, SS304, SS316L, and SS 430 blanks, and BPPs comprised of SS304 and SS316L were examined in terms of the corrosion behavior. SS316L plates were coated to investigate the effect of coatings on the corrosion resistance performance. Stamping and hydroforming as manufacturing processes, and three different coatings (TiN, CrN, ZrN) applied via the Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) method in three different thicknesses were selected to observe the effects of manufacturing processes, coating types and coating thicknesses on the corrosion resistance of BPP, respectively. Uncoated-coated blank and formed BPP were subjected to two different corrosion tests: potentiostatic and potentiodynamic. Some of the substantial results: 1- Manufacturing processes have an adverse impact on the corrosion resistance. 2- Hydroformed plates have slightly higher corrosion resistance than stamped samples. 3- BPPs with higher channel size showed better corrosion resistance. 4- Since none of the uncoated samples

  15. The International Plate Boundary Observatory Chile (IPOC) in the northern Chile seismic gap

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schurr, B.; Asch, A.; Sodoudi, F.; Manzanares, A.; Ritter, O.; Klotz, J.; Chong-Diaz, G.; Barrientos, S.; Villotte, J.-P.; Oncken, O.

    2009-04-01

    Fast convergence between the oceanic Nazca and the continental South American plate is accommodated by recurrent rupture of large segments of the two plates' interface. The resulting earthquakes are among the largest and, for their sizes, most frequent on Earth. Along the Chilean and southern Peruvian margin, all segments have ruptured at least once in the past 150 years for which there exist historic and/or instrumental records. The one segment that is most mature for re-rupture stretches for more than 500 km along the northernmost Chilean coast between roughly -23° and -18° latitude. It last broke in 1877 in a magnitude ~8.8 earthquake, triggering a major Tsunami. From the historical record, it has been known to have a recurrence cycle of approximately 110 years. The adjoining segments to the north and south broke rather recently in 1995 and 2001 in M>8 earthquakes and an M 7.7 earthquake encroached the southern part of the gap in 2007. The IPOC project intends to investigate this segment of the Nazca-South American plate boundary, on which a strong to devastating earthquake is expected to occur within the next years, by monitoring at a variety of time-scales deformation, seismicity, and magnetotelluric fields in the subduction zone at the closing stages of the interseismic cycle before and possibly during occurrence of a big earthquake. For that purpose, installation of long-term observatories in Northern Chile started in 2006 in a close cooperation of the Universidad de Chile (Santiago, Chile), the Universidad Catolica del Norte (Antofagasta, Chile), the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (Paris, France), and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ, Potsdam, Germany). Currently we are operating 14 modern seismological stations equipped with STS-2 broadband seismometers and accelerometers (EPI sensor). At least two more stations will be installed in the near future. To cope with the high resolution and dynamic of the sensors and data acquisition

  16. Dynamic Stabilization of Simple Fractures With Active Plates Delivers Stronger Healing Than Conventional Compression Plating

    PubMed Central

    Tsai, Stanley; Bliven, Emily K.; von Rechenberg, Brigitte; Kindt, Philipp; Augat, Peter; Henschel, Julia; Fitzpatrick, Daniel C.; Madey, Steven M.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives: Active plates dynamize a fracture by elastic suspension of screw holes within the plate. We hypothesized that dynamic stabilization with active plates delivers stronger healing relative to standard compression plating. Methods: Twelve sheep were randomized to receive either a standard compression plate (CP) or an active plate (ACTIVE) for stabilization of an anatomically reduced tibial osteotomy. In the CP group, absolute stabilization was pursued by interfragmentary compression with 6 cortical screws. In the ACTIVE group, dynamic stabilization after bony apposition was achieved with 6 elastically suspended locking screws. Fracture healing was analyzed weekly on radiographs. After sacrifice 9 weeks postsurgery, the torsional strength of healed tibiae and contralateral tibiae was measured. Finally, computed tomography was used to assess fracture patterns and healing modes. Results: Healing in both groups included periosteal callus formation. ACTIVE specimens had almost 6 times more callus area by week 9 (P < 0.001) than CP specimens. ACTIVE specimens recovered on average 64% of their native strength by week 9, and were over twice as strong as CP specimens, which recovered 24% of their native strength (P = 0.008). Microcomputed tomography demonstrated that compression plating induced a combination of primary bone healing and gap healing. Active plating consistently stimulated biological bone healing by periosteal callus formation. Conclusions: Compared with compression plating, dynamic stabilization of simple fractures with active plates delivers significantly stronger healing. PMID:27861456

  17. High-throughput and automated diagnosis of antimicrobial resistance using a cost-effective cellphone-based micro-plate reader

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feng, Steve; Tseng, Derek; di Carlo, Dino; Garner, Omai B.; Ozcan, Aydogan

    2016-12-01

    Routine antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) can prevent deaths due to bacteria and reduce the spread of multi-drug-resistance, but cannot be regularly performed in resource-limited-settings due to technological challenges, high-costs, and lack of trained professionals. We demonstrate an automated and cost-effective cellphone-based 96-well microtiter-plate (MTP) reader, capable of performing AST without the need for trained diagnosticians. Our system includes a 3D-printed smartphone attachment that holds and illuminates the MTP using a light-emitting-diode array. An inexpensive optical fiber-array enables the capture of the transmitted light of each well through the smartphone camera. A custom-designed application sends the captured image to a server to automatically determine well-turbidity, with results returned to the smartphone in ~1 minute. We tested this mobile-reader using MTPs prepared with 17 antibiotics targeting Gram-negative bacteria on clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, containing highly-resistant antimicrobial profiles. Using 78 patient isolate test-plates, we demonstrated that our mobile-reader meets the FDA-defined AST criteria, with a well-turbidity detection accuracy of 98.21%, minimum-inhibitory-concentration accuracy of 95.12%, and a drug-susceptibility interpretation accuracy of 99.23%, with no very major errors. This mobile-reader could eliminate the need for trained diagnosticians to perform AST, reduce the cost-barrier for routine testing, and assist in spatio-temporal tracking of bacterial resistance.

  18. Surface thermodynamic analysis of fluid confined in a cone and comparison with the sphere-plate and plate-plate geometries.

    PubMed

    Zargarzadeh, Leila; Elliott, Janet A W

    2013-10-22

    The behavior of pure fluid confined in a cone is investigated using thermodynamic stability analysis. Four situations are explained on the basis of the initial confined phase (liquid/vapor) and its pressure (above/below the saturation pressure). Thermodynamic stability analysis (a plot of the free energy of the system versus the size of the new potential phase) reveals whether the phase transition is possible and, if so, the number and type (unstable/metastable/stable) of equilibrium states in each of these situations. Moreover we investigated the effect of the equilibrium contact angle and the cone angle (equivalent to the confinement's surface separation distance) on the free energy (potential equilibrium states). The results are then compared to our previous study of pure fluid confined in the gap between a sphere and a flat plate and the gap between two flat plates.1 Confined fluid behavior of the four possible situations (for these three geometries) can be explained in a unified framework under two categories based on only the meniscus shape (concave/convex). For systems with bulk-phase pressure imposed by a reservoir, the stable coexistence of pure liquid and vapor is possible only when the meniscus is concave.

  19. Improvement of rolling 6 mm thin plates in plate rolling mill PT. Krakatau Posco

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pujiyanto, Hamdani

    2017-01-01

    A 6-mm thin plate is difficult to produce especially if the product requires wide size and high strength. Flatness is the main quality issue in rolling 6-mm plate using a 4-high reversing mill which use ±1100-mm work roll. Thus some methods are applied to overcome such issue in order to comply to customer quality requirement. Pre-rolling, rolling, and post-rolling conditions have to be considered comprehensively. Roll unit management will be the key factor before rolling condition. The roll unit itself has a significant impact on work roll crown wearness in relation with work roll intial crown and thermal crown. Work roll crown along with the modification of hydraulic gap control (HGC) could directly alter the flatness of the plate.

  20. Waveguide module comprising a first plate with a waveguide channel and a second plate with a raised portion in which a sealing layer is forced into the waveguide channel by the raised portion

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

    Strassner, II, Bernd H.; Liedtke, Richard; McDonald, Jacob Jeremiah

    The various technologies presented herein relate to utilizing a sealing layer of malleable material to seal gaps, etc., at a joint between edges of a waveguide channel formed in a first plate and a surface of a clamping plate. A compression pad is included in the surface of the clamping plate and is dimensioned such that the upper surface of the pad is less than the area of the waveguide channel opening on the first plate. The sealing layer is placed between the waveguide plate and the clamping plate, and during assembly of the waveguide module, the compression pad deformsmore » a portion of the sealing layer such that it ingresses into the waveguide channel opening. Deformation of the sealing layer results in the gaps, etc., to be filled, improving the operational integrity of the joint.« less

  1. Impact of Vegetative Treatment Systems on Multiple Measures of Antibiotic Resistance in Agricultural Wastewater.

    PubMed

    Durso, Lisa M; Miller, Daniel N; Henry, Christopher G

    2018-06-21

    Wastewater is an important vector of antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARB/G). While there is broad agreement that ARB/G from agricultural (ag) wastewaters can be transported through the environment and may contribute to untreatable infectious disease in humans and animals, there remain large knowledge gaps surrounding applied details on the types and amounts of ARB/G associated with different agricultural wastewater treatment options and different ag production systems. This study evaluates a vegetative treatment system (VTS) built to treat the wastewater from a beef cattle feedlot. Samples were collected for three years, and plated on multiple media types to enumerate tetracycline and cefotaxime-resistant bacteria. Enterobacteriaceae isolates ( n = 822) were characterized for carriage of tetracycline resistance genes, and E. coli isolates ( n = 673) were phenotyped to determine multi-drug resistance (MDR) profiles. Tetracycline resistance in feedlot runoff wastewater was 2-to-3 orders of magnitude higher compared to rainfall runoff from the VTS fields, indicating efficacy of the VTA for reducing ARB over time following wastewater application. Clear differences in MDR profiles were observed based on the specific media on which a sample was plated. This result highlights the importance of method, especially in the context of isolate-based surveillance and monitoring of ARB in agricultural wastewaters.

  2. Enhanced Corrosion Resistance and Interfacial Conductivity of TiC x/a-C Nanolayered Coatings via Synergy of Substrate Bias Voltage for Bipolar Plates Applications in PEMFCs.

    PubMed

    Yi, Peiyun; Zhang, Weixin; Bi, Feifei; Peng, Linfa; Lai, Xinmin

    2018-06-06

    Proton-exchange membrane fuel cells are one kind of renewable and clean energy conversion device, whose metallic bipolar plates are one of the key components. However, high interfacial contact resistance and poor corrosion resistance are still great challenges for the commercialization of metallic bipolar plates. In this study, we demonstrated a novel strategy for depositing TiC x /amorphous carbon (a-C) nanolayered coatings by synergy of 60 and 300 V bias voltage to enhance corrosion resistance and interfacial conductivity. The synergistic effects of bias voltage on the composition, microstructure, surface roughness, electrochemical corrosion behaviors, and interfacial conductivity of TiC x /a-C coatings were explored. The results revealed that the columnar structures in the inner layer were suppressed and the surface became rougher with the 300 V a-C layer outside. The composition analysis indicated that the sp 2 content increased with an increase of 300 V sputtering time. Due to the synergy strategy of bias voltage, lower corrosion current densities were achieved both in potentiostatic polarization (1.6 V vs standard hydrogen electrode) and potentiodynamic polarization. With the increase of 300 V sputtering time, the interfacial conductivity was improved. The enhanced corrosion resistance and interfacial conductivity of the TiC x /a-C coatings would provide new opportunities for commercial bipolar plates.

  3. Crustal Structure of the Tengchong Intra-plate Volcanic Area

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qian, Rongyi; Tong, Vincent C. H.

    2015-09-01

    We here provide an overview of our current understanding of the crustal structure of Tengchong in southwest China, a key intra-plate volcanic area along the Himalayan geothermal belt. Given that there is hitherto a lack of information about the near-surface structure of intra-plate volcanic areas, we present the first seismic reflection and velocity constraints on the shallow crust between intra-plate volcanoes. Our near-surface seismic images reveal the existence of dome-shaped seismic reflectors (DSRs) in the shallow crust between intra-plate volcanic clusters in Tengchong. The two DSRs are both ~2 km wide, and the shallowest parts of the DSRs are found at the depth of 200-300 m. The velocity model shows that the shallow low-velocity layer (<4 km/s) is anomalously thick (~1 km) in the region where the DSRs are observed. The presence of DSRs indicates significant levels of intra-plate magmatism beneath the along-axis gap separating two volcano clusters. Along-axis gaps between volcano clusters are therefore not necessarily an indicator of lower levels of magmatism. The seismic images obtained in this technically challenging area for controlled-source seismology allow us to conclude that shallow crustal structures are crucial for understanding the along-axis variations of magmatism and hydrothermal activities in intra-plate volcanic areas.

  4. MULTIPLE SPARK GAP SWITCH

    DOEpatents

    Schofield, A.E.

    1958-07-22

    A multiple spark gap switch of unique construction is described which will permit controlled, simultaneous discharge of several capacitors into a load. The switch construction includes a disc electrode with a plurality of protuberances of generally convex shape on one surface. A firing electrode is insulatingly supponted In each of the electrode protuberances and extends substantially to the apex thereof. Individual electrodes are disposed on an insulating plate parallel with the disc electrode to form a number of spark gaps with the protuberances. These electrodes are each connected to a separate charged capacitor and when a voltage ls applied simultaneously between the trigger electrodes and the dlsc electrode, each spark gap fires to connect its capacitor to the disc electrode and a subsequent load.

  5. Long term performance studies of large oil-free bakelite resistive plate chamber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ganai, R.; Roy, A.; Shiroya, M. K.; Agarwal, K.; Ahammed, Z.; Choudhury, S.; Chattopadhyay, S.

    2016-09-01

    Several high energy physics and neutrino physics experiments worldwide require large-size RPCs to cover wide acceptances. The muon tracking systems in the Iron calorimeter (ICAL) experiment in the India based Neutrino Observatory (INO), India and the near detector in Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) at Fermilab are two such examples. A single gap bakelite RPC of dimension 240 cm × 120 cm, with gas gap of 0.2 cm, has been built and tested at Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Kolkata, using indigenous materials procured from the local market. No additional lubricant, like oil has been used on the electrode surfaces for smoothening. The chamber is in operation for > 365 days. We have tested the chamber for its long term operation. The leakage current, bulk resistivity, efficiency, noise rate and time resolution of the chamber have been found to be quite stable during the testing peroid. It has shown an efficiency > 95% with an average time resolution of ~ 0.83 ns at the point of measurement at ~ 8700 V throughout the testing period. Details of the long term performance of the chamber have been discussed.

  6. Pelvic modelling and the comparison between plate position for double pelvic osteotomy using artificial cancellous bone and finite element analysis.

    PubMed

    McCartney, William; MacDonald, Bryan; Ober, Ciprian Andrei; Lostado-Lorza, Rubén; Gómez, Fátima Somovilla

    2018-03-20

    Finite element analysis was used to compare fixation methods for double pelvic osteotomy (DPO). Using 3D scanning a stereolithography (stl) image was produced of a canine pelvis and this was subsequently refined in computer aided design (CAD). Using the CAD files, the images were imported in MSC Marc software to produce a working finite element (FE) model with 3 dimensional tetrahedral elements with linear shaped functions. The dimensions of a precontoured pelvic osteotomy plate with eight screws and a twisted seven screw straight plate were used to build the 2 fixations implants for the FE models. An equivalent load of 300 N was applied progressively on all FE models in order to facilitate its convergence. The load was applied in a distributed manner on the femur-hip joint contact area in order to simulate the actual behavior of the joint. The aim of the present study was to analyze the difference in stiffness and behavior under loading between a lateral vs ventral plate fixation, with unlocked screws and different gap scenarios, for stabilization of a pelvic osteotomy using finite element analysis. From both configurations the maximum displacement of the ventral plate with 7 screws without gap had a value of 1.988 mm, while in the DPO plate had a maximum displacement of 2.191 mm. The load applied for each of the different configurations studied when a gap of 1° was considered and also when a condition of no gap was considered. The ventral plate was stiffer than the lateral plate when a gap was not present. When the gap was closed in the ventral plate, the stiffness increased until a point that remained constant. Ventral plate fixation can be as or more stiff as lateral plate fixation and provides flexible fixation. This behavior should reduce screw loosening. Using ventral plate fixation is recommended to reduce screw loosening or failure.

  7. Apparent Mass Nonlinearity for Paired Oscillating Plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Granlund, Kenneth; Ol, Michael

    2014-11-01

    The classical potential-flow problem of a plate oscillating sinusoidally at small amplitude, in a direction normal to its plane, has a well-known analytical solution of a fluid ``mass,'' multiplied by plate acceleration, being equal to the force on the plate. This so-called apparent-mass is analytically equal to that of a cylinder of fluid, with diameter equal to plate chord. The force is directly proportional to frequency squared. Here we consider experimentally a generalization, where two coplanar plates of equal chord are placed at some lateral distance apart. For spacing of ~0.5 chord and larger between the two plates, the analytical solution for a single plate can simply be doubled. Zero spacing means a plate of twice the chord and therefore a heuristic cylinder of fluid of twice the cross-sectional area. This limit is approached for plate spacing <0.5c. For a spacing of 0.1-0.2c, the force due to apparent mass was found to increase with frequency, when normalized by frequency squared; this is a nonlinearity and a departure from the classical theory. Flow visualization in a water-tank suggests that such departure can be imputed to vortex shedding from the plates' edges inside the inter-plate gap.

  8. Bipolar battery plate

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rowlette, John J. (Inventor)

    1987-01-01

    A liquid-impermeable plate (10) having through-plate conductivity with essentially zero resistance comprises an insulator sheet (12) having a series of spaced perforations (14) each of which contains a metal element (16) sealingly received into the perforation (14). A low-cost plate can readily be manufactured by punching a thermoplastic sheet (40) such as polypropylene with a punching tool (52), filling the apertures with led spheres (63) having a diameter smaller than the holes (50) but larger than the thickness of the sheet, sweeping excess spheres (62) off the sheet with a doctor blade (60) and then pressing a heated platen (74) onto the sheet to swage the spheres into a cylindrical shape and melt the surrounding resin to form a liquid-impermeable collar (4) sealing the metal into the sheet.

  9. Magnetocaloric effect and corrosion resistance of La(Fe, Si)13 composite plates bonded by different fraction of phenolic resin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, K. S.; Xue, J. N.; Wang, Y. X.; Sun, H.; Long, Y.

    2018-04-01

    La(Fe, Si)13-based composite plates were successfully fabricated using different amount of phenolic resin. The introduction of phenolic resin as binder increased the corrosion resistance and maintained giant magnetocaloric effect for La(Fe, Si)13-based composite plates. It was found that corroded spots were firstly observed on the boundaries between resin and La(Fe, Si)13 particles, rather than in La(Fe, Si)13-based particles, after being immersed in static distilled water. The corrosion rate decreased significantly with the increase of resin content. And the increase of the content of phenolic resin leads to the reduction of corrosion current density. Meanwhile, the volumetric magnetic entropy change ΔSM decreases slightly as the content of phenolic resin increases. The ΔSM of the plates with 3 wt.%, 5 wt.% and 8 wt.% resin are 63.1, 61.2 and 59.8 mJ/cm3 K under a low magnetic field change of 1 T, respectively.

  10. Earthquake recurrence and risk assessment in circum-Pacific seismic gaps

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thatcher, W.

    1989-01-01

    THE development of the concept of seismic gaps, regions of low earthquake activity where large events are expected, has been one of the notable achievements of seismology and plate tectonics. Its application to long-term earthquake hazard assessment continues to be an active field of seismological research. Here I have surveyed well documented case histories of repeated rupture of the same segment of circum-Pacific plate boundary and characterized their general features. I find that variability in fault slip and spatial extent of great earthquakes rupturing the same plate boundary segment is typical rather than exceptional but sequences of major events fill identified seismic gaps with remarkable order. Earthquakes are concentrated late in the seismic cycle and occur with increasing size and magnitude. Furthermore, earthquake rup-ture starts near zones of concentrated moment release, suggesting that high-slip regions control the timing of recurrent events. The absence of major earthquakes early in the seismic cycle indicates a more complex behaviour for lower-slip regions, which may explain the observed cycle-to-cycle diversity of gap-filling sequences. ?? 1989 Nature Publishing Group.

  11. Two-dimensional ultraviolet imagery with a microchannel-plate/resistive-anode detector

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Opal, C. B.; Feldman, P. D.; Weaver, H. A.; Mcclintock, J. A.

    1979-01-01

    An imaging ultraviolet detector has been designed for use with a precision pointed telescope flown on a sounding rocket. Resolution of better than 80 microns over a field of 5 mm has been achieved. The ultraviolet image is converted to electrons at the front surface of a CsI coated chevron microchannel-plate electron multiplier. For each photoelectron, the multiplier produces a burst of about 3,000,000 electrons, which impinges on a tellurium-coated resistive anode with four evaporated hyperbolic readout electrodes. The sizes of the four resulting output pulses are digitized to 10 bit accuracy and telemetered to the ground, where they are divided in pairs to give the x and y coordinates of the photoelectron event. The coordinates are used to generate a picture in real time, and are recorded for computer processing later. The detector was successfully flown in December 1978. Good images of Jupiter and Capella in hydrogen Lyman alpha emission were obtained.

  12. Biomechanical investigation of an alternative concept to angular stable plating using conventional fixation hardware.

    PubMed

    Windolf, Markus; Klos, Kajetan; Wähnert, Dirk; van der Pol, Bas; Radtke, Roman; Schwieger, Karsten; Jakob, Roland P

    2010-05-21

    Angle-stable locking plates have improved the surgical management of fractures. However, locking implants are costly and removal can be difficult. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the biomechanical performance of a newly proposed crossed-screw concept ("Fence") utilizing conventional (non-locked) implants in comparison to conventional LC-DCP (limited contact dynamic compression plate) and LCP (locking compression plate) stabilization, in a human cadaveric diaphyseal gap model. In eight pairs of human cadaveric femora, one femur per pair was randomly assigned to receive a Fence construct with either elevated or non-elevated plate, while the contralateral femur received either an LCP or LC-DCP instrumentation. Fracture gap motion and fatigue performance under cyclic loading was evaluated successively in axial compression and in torsion. Results were statistically compared in a pairwise setting. The elevated Fence constructs allowed significantly higher gap motion compared to the LCP instrumentations (axial compression: p plate contact revealed larger fracture gap motion under axial compression compared to the conventional LC-DCP osteosynthesis (p gap motion became obvious, the "Fence" technique is considered an alternative to cost-intensive locking-head devices. The concept can be of interest in cases were angle-stable implants are unavailable and can lead to new strategies in implant design.

  13. Reducing cylinder drag by adding a plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Frolov, Vladimir A.; Kozlova, Anna S.

    2017-10-01

    Reducing the drag of bodies is a central problem of modern aerohydrodynamics. The paper presents theoretical and experimental studies of a new method for reducing the drag of a circular cylinder. To reduce the drag we propose to install a flat plate along the flow in front of the cylinder. The theoretical investigation of the drag was carried out using FlowSimulation software. An experimental study of the body drag was performed in an open wind tunnel. The drag coefficient results of the cylinder depended on the different locations of the flat plate relative to the cylinder. The following geometric characteristics of the cylinder/plate are studied: the width of the gap between the cylinder and the plate and the meridional angle of the plate with respect to the cylinder. On the basis of Numerical and Physical Modeling, the values of the drag coefficient for the cylinder/plate are presented. The results included establishment the locations of the cylinder/plate which give the value of the drag coefficient for the combination of the two bodies. That total drag coefficient of the cylinder/plate can be less than the cylinder alone.

  14. Clarithromycin resistance of Helicobacter pylori strains isolated from children' gastric antrum and fundus as assessed by fluorescent in-situ hybridization and culture on four-sector agar plates.

    PubMed

    Caristo, Elisa; Parola, Andrea; Rapa, Anna; Vivenza, Daniela; Raselli, Barbara; Dondi, Elena; Boldorini, Renzo; Oderda, Giuseppina

    2008-12-01

    To assess validity of culture on four-sector agar plates and fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) test, and clarithromycin resistance rate in Helicobacter pylori strains isolated from children in the last 10 years. In the last 5 years, gastric biopsy specimens from antrum and fundus were taken from 89 consecutive children (median age 9 years) with H. pylori gastritis and from 21 controls. Culture was performed on 176 gastric biopsies (89 from antrum, 87 from fundus) on four-sector agar plates, and FISH test with DNA ProbeMix. After its validity was evaluated, FISH test was applied on additional 119 biopsies from 68 children (68 from the antrum, 51 from the fundus) stored in the Pathology archive in the previous 5 years. Culture was positive in 157 of 176 biopsies (sensitivity: 89.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 85-94). In 33 of 89 children (37%) resistant strains were found in one or both gastric sites. FISH test was positive in 148 of 176 biopsies from infected children (sensitivity 84.1%, 95%CI 79-89) and in none of 42 biopsies from controls (specificity 100%). When applied on archive biopsies, FISH test was positive in 96 of 119 (80.7%, 95%CI 74-88). Total children harboring resistant strains in the last 10 years, as assessed by FISH test, were 66 of 157 (42%). Mixed infection with both sensitive and resistant strains were found in 40 children (25%) and in 12 of them resistant strains were in the fundus only. Culture on four-sector agar plates and FISH test had a high sensitivity and specificity and showed co-presence of sensitive and resistant strains. In one-third of children with mixed infection, the resistant strains were in the fundus only. Clarithromycin resistance should be assessed in biopsies both from the antrum and the fundus, utilizing antral biopsies only can underestimate its prevalence.

  15. PEM fuel cell bipolar plate material requirements for transportation applications

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

    Borup, R.L.; Stroh, K.R.; Vanderborgh, N.E.

    1996-04-01

    Cost effective bipolar plates are currently under development to help make proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells commercially viable. Bipolar plates separate individual cells of the fuel cell stack, and thus must supply strength, be electrically conductive, provide for thermal control of the fuel stack, be a non-porous materials separating hydrogen and oxygen feed streams, be corrosion resistant, provide gas distribution for the feed streams and meet fuel stack cost targets. Candidate materials include conductive polymers and metal plates with corrosion resistant coatings. Possible metals include aluminium, titanium, iron/stainless steel and nickel.

  16. Microchannel plate fabrication using glass capillary arrays with Atomic Layer Deposition films for resistance and gain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Popecki, M. A.; Adams, B.; Craven, C. A.; Cremer, T.; Foley, M. R.; Lyashenko, A.; O'Mahony, A.; Minot, M. J.; Aviles, M.; Bond, J. L.; Stochaj, M. E.; Worstell, W.; Elam, J. W.; Mane, A. U.; Siegmund, O. H. W.; Ertley, C.; Kistler, L. M.; Granoff, M. S.

    2016-08-01

    Microchannel plates (MCPs) have been used for many years in space flight instrumentation as fast, lightweight electron multipliers. A new MCP fabrication method combines a glass substrate composed of hollow glass capillary arrays with thin film coatings to provide the resistive and secondary electron emissive properties. Using this technique, the gain, resistance, and glass properties may be chosen independently. Large-area MCPs are available at moderate cost. Secondary emission films of Al2O3 and MgO provide sustained high gain as charge is extracted from the MCP. Long lifetimes are possible, and a total extracted charge of 7 C/cm2 has been demonstrated. Background rates are low because the glass substrate has little radioactive potassium 40. Curved MCPs are easily fabricated with this technique to suit instrument symmetries, simplifying secondary electron steering and smoothing azimuthal efficiency.

  17. Corrosion test cell for bipolar plates

    DOEpatents

    Weisbrod, Kirk R.

    2002-01-01

    A corrosion test cell for evaluating corrosion resistance in fuel cell bipolar plates is described. The cell has a transparent or translucent cell body having a pair of identical cell body members that seal against opposite sides of a bipolar plate. The cell includes an anode chamber and an cathode chamber, each on opposite sides of the plate. Each chamber contains a pair of mesh platinum current collectors and a catalyst layer pressed between current collectors and the plate. Each chamber is filled with an electrolyte solution that is replenished with fluid from a much larger electrolyte reservoir. The cell includes gas inlets to each chamber for hydrogen gas and air. As the gases flow into a chamber, they pass along the platinum mesh, through the catalyst layer, and to the bipolar plate. The gas exits the chamber through passageways that provide fluid communication between the anode and cathode chambers and the reservoir, and exits the test cell through an exit port in the reservoir. The flow of gas into the cell produces a constant flow of fresh electrolyte into each chamber. Openings in each cell body is member allow electrodes to enter the cell body and contact the electrolyte in the reservoir therein. During operation, while hydrogen gas is passed into one chamber and air into the other chamber, the cell resistance is measured, which is used to evaluate the corrosion properties of the bipolar plate.

  18. Electroless nickel plating on stainless steels and aluminum

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1966-01-01

    Procedures for applying an adherent electroless nickel plating on 303 SE, 304, and 17-7 PH stainless steels, and 7075 aluminum alloy was developed. When heat treated, the electroless nickel plating provides a hard surface coating on a high strength, corrosion resistant substrate.

  19. Lamb waves in plates covered by a two-dimensional phononic film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bonello, Bernard; Charles, Christine; Ganot, François

    2007-01-01

    The propagation of Lamb waves in silicon plates coated by a very thin two-dimensional phononic film is studied experimentally. The dispersion curves are measured using a laser ultrasonics technique. The data are then compared to the calculated dispersion curves of the uncoated silicon plate. The overall shapes of the lower-order symmetric and antisymmetric Lamb modes are not altered by the thin phononic film, except by the appearing of frequency band gaps at the edges of both the first and the second Brillouin zone. The influence of the filling fraction on the magnitude of the gaps is investigated experimentally.

  20. Passive Gas-Gap Heat Switches for Use in Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerators

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shirron, P. J.; Canavan, E. R.; DiPirro, M. J.; Jackson, M.; Panek, J.; Tuttle, J. G.; Krebs, Carolyn (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    We have designed, built, and tested a gas gap heat switch that works passively, without the need for a separate, thermally activated getter. This switch uses He-3 condensed as a thin film on alternating plates of copper. The switch is thermally conductive at temperatures above about 0.2 K, and is insulating if either end of the switch is below about 0.15 K. The "on" conductance (7 mW/K at 0.25K) is limited by the surface area and gap between the copper leaves, the saturated vapor pressure of the He-3, and the Kapitza boundary resistance between the He-3 and the copper. The "off" conductance is determined by the helium containment shell which physically supports the two conductive ends. We have also designed and are building passive gas gap heat switches which will passively turn off near 1 K and 4 K. For these switches we rely on the rapidly changing vapor pressure of He-4 above neon or copper substrates, respectively, when the coverage is less than one monolayer. The different binding energies of the He-4 to the neon or copper give rise to the different temperatures where the switches transition between the on and off states.

  1. Flocked nylon swabs versus RODAC plates for detection of multidrug-resistant organisms on environmental surfaces in intensive care units.

    PubMed

    Okamoto, K; Rhee, Y; Schoeny, M; Lolans, K; Cheng, J; Reddy, S; Weinstein, R A; Hayden, M K; Popovich, K J

    2018-01-01

    To compare two culture methods [nylon fiber flocked swabs with broth enrichment versus RODAC ('replicate organism detection and counting') plates] for recovery of multidrug-resistant organisms, 780 environmental surfaces in 63 rooms of patients on contact precautions in four intensive care units at one hospital were examined. Among sites that had at least one positive culture, swab culture with broth enrichment detected the target organisms more frequently than RODAC plates (37.5% vs 26.0%, P = 0.06). There was moderate agreement between the two methods (κ = 0.44) with agreement better for small or flat surfaces compared to large or irregular surfaces. Copyright © 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Drag Measurements of Porous Plate Acoustic Liners

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wolter, John D.

    2005-01-01

    This paper presents the results of direct drag measurements on a variety of porous plate acoustic liners. The existing literature describes numerous studies of drag on porous walls with injection or suction, but relatively few of drag on porous plates with neither injection nor suction. Furthermore, the porosity of the porous plate in existing studies is much lower than typically used in acoustic liners. In the present work, the acoustic liners consisted of a perforated face sheet covering a bulk acoustic absorber material. Factors that were varied in the experiment were hole diameter, hole pattern, face sheet thickness, bulk material type, and size of the gap (if any) between the face sheet and the absorber material.

  3. Wave propagation and power flow in an acoustic metamaterial plate with lateral local resonance attachment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Ting; Sheng, Meiping; Ding, Xiaodong; Yan, Xiaowei

    2018-03-01

    This paper presents analysis on wave propagation and power flow in an acoustic metamaterial plate with lateral local resonance. The metamaterial is designed to have lateral local resonance systems attached to a homogeneous plate. Relevant theoretical analysis, numerical modelling and application prospect are presented. Results show that the metamaterial has two complete band gaps for flexural wave absorption and vibration attenuation. Damping can smooth and lower the metamaterial’s frequency responses in high frequency ranges at the expense of the band gap effect, and as an important factor to calculate the power flow is thoroughly investigated. Moreover, the effective mass density becomes negative and unbounded at specific frequencies. Simultaneously, power flow within band gaps are dramatically blocked from the power flow contour and power flow maps. Results from finite element modelling and power flow analysis reveal the working mechanism of the flexural wave attenuation and power flow blocked within the band gaps, where part of the flexural vibration is absorbed by the vertical resonator and the rest is transformed through four-link-mechanisms to the lateral resonators that oscillate and generate inertial forces indirectly to counterbalance the shear forces induced by the vibrational plate. The power flow is stored in the vertical and lateral local resonance, as well as in the connected plate.

  4. Focusing, refraction, and asymmetric transmission of elastic waves in solid metamaterials with aligned parallel gaps.

    PubMed

    Su, Xiaoshi; Norris, Andrew N

    2016-06-01

    Gradient index (GRIN), refractive, and asymmetric transmission devices for elastic waves are designed using a solid with aligned parallel gaps. The gaps are assumed to be thin so that they can be considered as parallel cracks separating elastic plate waveguides. The plates do not interact with one another directly, only at their ends where they connect to the exterior solid. To formulate the transmission and reflection coefficients for SV- and P-waves, an analytical model is established using thin plate theory that couples the waveguide modes with the waves in the exterior body. The GRIN lens is designed by varying the thickness of the plates to achieve different flexural wave speeds. The refractive effect of SV-waves is achieved by designing the slope of the edge of the plate array, and keeping the ratio between plate length and flexural wavelength fixed. The asymmetric transmission of P-waves is achieved by sending an incident P-wave at a critical angle, at which total conversion to SV-wave occurs. An array of parallel gaps perpendicular to the propagation direction of the reflected waves stop the SV-wave but let P-waves travel through. Examples of focusing, steering, and asymmetric transmission devices are discussed.

  5. Gap junctions in Malpighian tubules of Aedes aegypti.

    PubMed

    Weng, Xing-He; Piermarini, Peter M; Yamahiro, Atsuko; Yu, Ming-Jiun; Aneshansley, Daniel J; Beyenbach, Klaus W

    2008-02-01

    We present electrical, physiological and molecular evidence for substantial electrical coupling of epithelial cells in Malpighian tubules via gap junctions. Current was injected into one principal cell of the isolated Malpighian tubule and membrane voltage deflections were measured in that cell and in two neighboring principal cells. By short-circuiting the transepithelial voltage with the diuretic peptide leucokinin-VIII we largely eliminated electrical coupling of principal cells through the tubule lumen, thereby allowing coupling through gap junctions to be analyzed. The analysis of an equivalent electrical circuit of the tubule yielded an average gap-junction resistance (R(gj)) of 431 kOmega between two cells. This resistance would stem from 6190 open gap-junctional channels, assuming the high single gap-junction conductance of 375 pS found in vertebrate tissues. The addition of the calcium ionophore A23187 (2 micromol l(-1)) to the peritubular Ringer bath containing 1.7 mmol l(-1) Ca(2+) did not affect the gap-junction resistance, but metabolic inhibition of the tubule with dinitrophenol (0.5 mmol l(-1)) increased the gap-junction resistance 66-fold, suggesting the regulation of gap junctions by ATP. Lucifer Yellow injected into a principal cell did not appear in neighboring principal cells. Thus, gap junctions allow the passage of current but not Lucifer Yellow. Using RT-PCR we found evidence for the expression of innexins 1, 2, 3 and 7 (named after their homologues in Drosophila) in Malpighian tubules. The physiological demonstration of gap junctions and the molecular evidence for innexin in Malpighian tubules of Aedes aegypti call for the double cable model of the tubule, which will improve the measurement and the interpretation of electrophysiological data collected from Malpighian tubules.

  6. Edge currents shunt the insulating bulk in gapped graphene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, M. J.; Kretinin, A. V.; Thompson, M. D.; Bandurin, D. A.; Hu, S.; Yu, G. L.; Birkbeck, J.; Mishchenko, A.; Vera-Marun, I. J.; Watanabe, K.; Taniguchi, T.; Polini, M.; Prance, J. R.; Novoselov, K. S.; Geim, A. K.; Ben Shalom, M.

    2017-02-01

    An energy gap can be opened in the spectrum of graphene reaching values as large as 0.2 eV in the case of bilayers. However, such gaps rarely lead to the highly insulating state expected at low temperatures. This long-standing puzzle is usually explained by charge inhomogeneity. Here we revisit the issue by investigating proximity-induced superconductivity in gapped graphene and comparing normal-state measurements in the Hall bar and Corbino geometries. We find that the supercurrent at the charge neutrality point in gapped graphene propagates along narrow channels near the edges. This observation is corroborated by using the edgeless Corbino geometry in which case resistivity at the neutrality point increases exponentially with increasing the gap, as expected for an ordinary semiconductor. In contrast, resistivity in the Hall bar geometry saturates to values of about a few resistance quanta. We attribute the metallic-like edge conductance to a nontrivial topology of gapped Dirac spectra.

  7. The application of PA/CF in stab resistance body armor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yuan, M. Q.; Liu, Y.; Gong, Z.; Qian, X. M.

    2017-06-01

    Stab resistance body armor (SRBA) is an essential defensive equipment to protect human body against injuries from stabbing. The conventional SRBAs shared low wearing frequency since they are heavy and poor in flexibility. This paper designed a structured stab-resistance plate using the model of crocodile armor and manufactured using 3D printing technology-laser sintering (LS). CF(Carbon fiber) was applied to enhance the stab resistance properties of SRBA. The effects of the material and structure were analysed through the stab resistance property tests based on the national standard GA68-2008. It is found that the stab resistance property of flat plates sintered by PA powder and PA/CF are both weaker than that of the structured plate. The penetrating depth of PA/CF structured plate is significantly 2-mm-less than the pure PA structured plate. The SEM observations confirmed the conclusion that addition of the CF largely improved the plate stab resistance property. Moreover, using PA/CF structured plate to produce the stab resistance body armor would result in a weight reduction by about 30-40% as compared to the existing SRBA that was made up of metal plates, which could largely reduce the wearer physical burden and improve the wearing frequency.

  8. Web-based monitoring tools for Resistive Plate Chambers in the CMS experiment at CERN

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, M. S.; Ban, Y.; Cai, J.; Li, Q.; Liu, S.; Qian, S.; Wang, D.; Xu, Z.; Zhang, F.; Choi, Y.; Kim, D.; Goh, J.; Choi, S.; Hong, B.; Kang, J. W.; Kang, M.; Kwon, J. H.; Lee, K. S.; Lee, S. K.; Park, S. K.; Pant, L. M.; Mohanty, A. K.; Chudasama, R.; Singh, J. B.; Bhatnagar, V.; Mehta, A.; Kumar, R.; Cauwenbergh, S.; Costantini, S.; Cimmino, A.; Crucy, S.; Fagot, A.; Garcia, G.; Ocampo, A.; Poyraz, D.; Salva, S.; Thyssen, F.; Tytgat, M.; Zaganidis, N.; Doninck, W. V.; Cabrera, A.; Chaparro, L.; Gomez, J. P.; Gomez, B.; Sanabria, J. C.; Avila, C.; Ahmad, A.; Muhammad, S.; Shoaib, M.; Hoorani, H.; Awan, I.; Ali, I.; Ahmed, W.; Asghar, M. I.; Shahzad, H.; Sayed, A.; Ibrahim, A.; Aly, S.; Assran, Y.; Radi, A.; Elkafrawy, T.; Sharma, A.; Colafranceschi, S.; Abbrescia, M.; Calabria, C.; Colaleo, A.; Iaselli, G.; Loddo, F.; Maggi, M.; Nuzzo, S.; Pugliese, G.; Radogna, R.; Venditti, R.; Verwilligen, P.; Benussi, L.; Bianco, S.; Piccolo, D.; Paolucci, P.; Buontempo, S.; Cavallo, N.; Merola, M.; Fabozzi, F.; Iorio, O. M.; Braghieri, A.; Montagna, P.; Riccardi, C.; Salvini, P.; Vitulo, P.; Vai, I.; Magnani, A.; Dimitrov, A.; Litov, L.; Pavlov, B.; Petkov, P.; Aleksandrov, A.; Genchev, V.; Iaydjiev, P.; Rodozov, M.; Sultanov, G.; Vutova, M.; Stoykova, S.; Hadjiiska, R.; Ibargüen, H. S.; Morales, M. I. P.; Bernardino, S. C.; Bagaturia, I.; Tsamalaidze, Z.; Crotty, I.

    2014-10-01

    The Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC) are used in the CMS experiment at the trigger level and also in the standard offline muon reconstruction. In order to guarantee the quality of the data collected and to monitor online the detector performance, a set of tools has been developed in CMS which is heavily used in the RPC system. The Web-based monitoring (WBM) is a set of java servlets that allows users to check the performance of the hardware during data taking, providing distributions and history plots of all the parameters. The functionalities of the RPC WBM monitoring tools are presented along with studies of the detector performance as a function of growing luminosity and environmental conditions that are tracked over time.

  9. Rapidly solidified metal coatings by peen plating

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chu, H. P.

    1987-01-01

    Specimens of 7075-T6 aluminum alloy were peen plated with rapidly solidified tin-lead and aluminum powders, and the cross-sections of the coated specimens were examined by light and electron microscopy. The properties of the peen plated specimens were also compared with those of shot peened specimens without any coating. It is found that peen plating with rapidly solidified metals improves the fatigue properties of the coated samples to a greater extent than shot peening alone. Specimens of 7075-T6 alloy peen plated with rapidly solidified tin-lead and aluminum exhibited better fatigue resistance than shot peened specimens in both air and salt water.

  10. Investigation of CaCO3 fouling in plate heat exchangers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Wei; Zhou, Kan; Manglik, Raj M.; Li, Guan-Qiu; Bergles, Arthur E.

    2016-11-01

    An experimental investigation, coupled with theoretical modeling of CaCO3 fouling in plate-and-frame type heat exchangers (PHEs) have been conducted. Four different plates, made of SS-304, are used in two different surface patterns (chevron and zig-zag) of varying corrugation severity (waviness depth and pitch) and area enhancement. They were further characterized in clean, non-fouled convection by their measured heat transfer coefficients and friction factors in the Reynolds number range of 600-6000. The flow-fouling experiments delineate the effects of temperature and plate-surface geometry on growth rates and stabilization of fouling resistance, along with the anti-fouling behavior of plates coated with a hydrophobic PTFE (Teflon) film. Moreover, the microscopic structure of fouling deposits is mapped in a scanning-electron microscope. Corrugated plates with the largest height-to-pitch ratio and hydraulic diameter are found to have the lowest fouling growth rate and resistance; Teflon-film coating of plate surface is also found to mitigate fouling relative to the performance of bare stainless steel plates. Finally, a semi-empirical fouling model, based on the Prandtl-Taylor analogy, has been devised to describe the experimental data and provide a predictive tool.

  11. Battery plate containing filler with conductive coating

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rowlette, John J. (Inventor)

    1986-01-01

    The plate (10) comprises a matrix or binder resin phase (12) in which is dispersed particulate, conductive tin oxide such as tin oxide coated glass fibers (14). A monopolar plate (11) is prepared by coating a layer (18) of electrolytically active material onto a surface of the plate (10). Tin oxide is prevented from reduction by coating a surface of the plate (10) with a conductive, impervious layer resistant to reduction such as a thin film (22) of lead adhered to the plate with a layer (21) of conductive adhesive. The plate (10) can be formed by casting a molten dispersion from mixer (36) onto a sheet (30) of lead foil or by passing an assembly of a sheet (41) of resin, a sheet (43) of fiberglass and a sheet (45) of lead between the nip of heated rollers (48, 50).

  12. Battery plate containing filler with conductive coating

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rowlette, John J. (Inventor)

    1985-01-01

    The plate (10) comprises a matrix or binder resin phase (12) in which is dispersed particulate, conductive tin oxide such as tin oxide coated glass fibers (14). A monopolar plate (11) is prepared by coating a layer (18) of electrolytically active material onto a surface of the plate (10). Tin oxide is prevented from reduction by coating a surface of the plate (10) with a conductive, impervious layer resistant to reduction such as a thin film (22) of lead adhered to the plate with a layer (21) of conductive adhesive. The plate (10) can be formed by casting a molten dispersion from mixer (36) onto a sheet (30) of lead foil or by passing an assembly of a sheet (41) of resin, a sheet (43) of fiberglass and a sheet (45) of lead between the nip of heated rollers (48, 50).

  13. Evaluation of Thin Plate Hydrodynamic Stability through a Combined Numerical Modeling and Experimental Effort

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

    Tentner, A.; Bojanowski, C.; Feldman, E.

    An experimental and computational effort was undertaken in order to evaluate the capability of the fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulation tools to describe the deflection of a Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) fuel element plate redesigned for conversion to lowenriched uranium (LEU) fuel due to hydrodynamic forces. Experiments involving both flat plates and curved plates were conducted in a water flow test loop located at the University of Missouri (MU), at conditions and geometries that can be related to the MURR LEU fuel element. A wider channel gap on one side of the test plate, and a narrower on the othermore » represent the differences that could be encountered in a MURR element due to allowed fabrication variability. The difference in the channel gaps leads to a pressure differential across the plate, leading to plate deflection. The induced plate deflection the pressure difference induces in the plate was measured at specified locations using a laser measurement technique. High fidelity 3-D simulations of the experiments were performed at MU using the computational fluid dynamics code STAR-CCM+ coupled with the structural mechanics code ABAQUS. Independent simulations of the experiments were performed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) using the STAR-CCM+ code and its built-in structural mechanics solver. The simulation results obtained at MU and ANL were compared with the corresponding measured plate deflections.« less

  14. Deformation in the Yakataga seismic gap, Southern Alaska, 1980- 1986 ( USA).

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Savage, J.C.; Lisowski, M.

    1988-01-01

    A 60-by-40-km trilateration network in the Yakataga seismic gap was surveyed in 1980, 1982, 1984, and 1986 with precise electro-optical distance-measuring equipment to measure strain accumulation. The overall deformation is roughly approximated by a 0.24+ or -0.03 mu strain/yr N32oW+ or -2.4o uniaxial contraction that is uniform in time. However, the spatial distribution of deformation shows some concentration of convergence in the neighbourhood of the Chugach-St. Elias fault and of right-lateral shear across the Contact fault. A simple dislocation model of the plate interaction in the Yakataga gap fits the observed deformation reasonably well but seems to require that the motion of the Pacific plate relative to the North American plate be directed more nearly N36oW than N15oW, the generally accepted direction of relative motion for this location. However, the direction of plate motion inferred from the dislocation model depends upon details of the interaction at the plate boundary that may not have been modeled accurately. A nearby but smaller trilateration network at Icy Bay was surveyed in 1982, 1984, and 1986. This network spans the SW corner of the rupture zone of the 1979 St. Elias earthquake. The deformation at Icy Bay consists of left-lateral shear across a NE trending zone. The relation of this deformation to strain accumulation in the Yakataga gap, postseismic relaxation associated with the 1979 earthquake, or rebound from the unloading associated with the rapid recession of the Guyot glacier is not understood.-Authors

  15. Evolution and variability of Solanum RanGAP2, a cofactor in the incompatible interaction between the resistance protein GPA2 and the Globodera pallida effector Gp-RBP-1.

    PubMed

    Carpentier, Jean; Grenier, Eric; Esquibet, Magalie; Hamel, Louis-Philippe; Moffett, Peter; Manzanares-Dauleux, Maria J; Kerlan, Marie-Claire

    2013-04-19

    The Ran GTPase Activating Protein 2 (RanGAP2) was first described as a regulator of mitosis and nucleocytoplasmic trafficking. It was then found to interact with the Coiled-Coil domain of the Rx and GPA2 resistance proteins, which confer resistance to Potato Virus X (PVX) and potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida, respectively. RanGAP2 is thought to mediate recognition of the avirulence protein GP-RBP-1 by GPA2. However, the Gpa2-induced hypersensitive response appears to be relatively weak and Gpa2 is limited in terms of spectrum of efficiency as it is effective against only two nematode populations. While functional and evolutionary analyses of Gp-Rbp-1 and Gpa2 identified key residues in both the resistance and avirulence proteins that are involved in recognition determination, whether variation in RanGAP2 also plays a role in pathogen recognition has not been investigated. We amplified a total of 147 RanGAP2 sequences from 55 accessions belonging to 18 different di-and tetraploid Solanum species from the section Petota. Among the newly identified sequences, 133 haplotypes were obtained and 19.1% of the nucleotide sites were found to be polymorphic. The observed intra-specific nucleotide diversity ranges from 0.1 to 1.3%. Analysis of the selection pressures acting on RanGAP2 suggests that this gene evolved mainly under purifying selection. Nonetheless, we identified polymorphic positions in the protein sequence at the intra-specific level, which could modulate the activity of RanGAP2. Two polymorphic sites and a three amino-acid deletion in RanGAP2 were found to affect the timing and intensity of the Gpa2-induced hypersensitive response to avirulent GP-RBP-1 variants even though they did not confer any gain of recognition of virulent GP-RBP-1 variants. Our results highlight how a resistance gene co-factor can manage in terms of evolution both an established role as a cell housekeeping gene and an implication in plant parasite interactions. StRanGAP2 gene

  16. Influence of the posterior tibial slope on the flexion gap in total knee arthroplasty.

    PubMed

    Okazaki, Ken; Tashiro, Yasutaka; Mizu-uchi, Hideki; Hamai, Satoshi; Doi, Toshio; Iwamoto, Yukihide

    2014-08-01

    Adjusting the joint gap length to be equal in both extension and flexion is an important issue in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). It is generally acknowledged that posterior tibial slope affects the flexion gap; however, the extent to which changes in the tibial slope angle directly affect the flexion gap remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify the influence of tibial slope changes on the flexion gap in cruciate-retaining (CR) or posterior-stabilizing (PS) TKA. The flexion gap was measured using a tensor device with the femoral trial component in 20 cases each of CR- and PS-TKA. A wedge plate with a 5° inclination was placed on the tibial cut surface by switching its front-back direction to increase or decrease the tibial slope by 5°. The flexion gap after changing the tibial slope was compared to that of the neutral slope measured with a flat plate that had the same thickness as that of the wedge plate center. When the tibial slope decreased or increased by 5°, the flexion gap decreased or increased by 1.9 ± 0.6mm or 1.8 ± 0.4mm, respectively, with CR-TKA and 1.2 ± 0.4mm or 1.1 ± 0.3mm, respectively, with PS-TKA. The influence of changing the tibial slope by 5° on the flexion gap was approximately 2mm with CR-TKA and 1mm with PS-TKA. This information is useful when considering the effect of manipulating the tibial slope on the flexion gap when performing CR- or PS-TKA. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Characterization of hierarchical α-MoO3 plates toward resistive heating synthesis: electrochemical activity of α-MoO3/Pt modified electrode toward methanol oxidation at neutral pH

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Filippo, Emanuela; Baldassarre, Francesca; Tepore, Marco; Guascito, Maria Rachele; Chirizzi, Daniela; Tepore, Antonio

    2017-05-01

    The growth of MoO3 hierarchical plates was obtained by direct resistive heating of molybdenum foils at ambient pressure in the absence of any catalysts and templates. Plates synthesized after 60 min resistive heating typically grow in an single-crystalline orthorhombic structure that develop preferentially in the [001] direction, and are characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area diffraction pattern and Raman-scattering measurements. They are about 100-200 nm in thickness and a few tens of micrometers in length. As heating time proceeds to 80 min, plates of α-MoO3 form a branched structure. A more attentive look shows that primary plates formed at until 60 min could serve as substrates for the subsequent growth of secondary belts. Moreover, a full electrochemical characterization of α-MoO3 plates on platinum electrodes was done by cyclic voltammetric experiments, at pH 7 in phosphate buffer, to probe the activity of the proposed composite material as anode to methanol electro-oxidation. Reported results indicate that Pt MoO3 modified electrodes are appropriate to develop new an amperometric non-enzymatic sensor for methanol as well as to make anodes suitable to be used in direct methanol fuel cells working at neutral pH.

  18. Development of an Anti-Corrosion Conductive Nano Carbon Coating Layer on Metal Bipolar Plates.

    PubMed

    Yeo, Kiho; Kim, Juyong; Kim, Jongryoul

    2018-09-01

    For automotive applications of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, the enhancement of the corrosion resistance of metal bipolar plates has been a critical issue with regard to the lifespan of fuel cell stacks. In this paper, we present a novel method for increasing the lifespan by means of a conductive carbon coating on bipolar plates. Conductive carbon films were plasma coated onto metal bipolar plates in a vacuum at various temperatures. As a result, 316L stainless plates with a 10-nm-thick carbon coating layer on a 20-nm-thick CrN undercoat layer showed-contact resistance of 10.71 mΩcm2@10 kgf/cm2 and a corrosion current of 0.5 μA/cm2@0.6 V. This thin coating layer with high conductivity and excellent corrosion resistance suggests a new, effective coating method for the mass production of metal bipolar plates.

  19. Alaskan seismic gap only partially filled by 28 February 1979 earthquake

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

    Lahr, J.C.; Stephens, C.D.; Hasegawa, H.S.

    1980-03-21

    The Saint Elias, Alaska, earthquake (magnitude 7.7) of 28 February 1979 is the first major earthquake since 1900 to occur along the complex Pacific-North American plate boundary between Yakutat Bay and Prince William Sound. This event involved complex rupture on a shallow, low-angle, north-dipping fault beneath the Chugach and Saint Elias Mountains. The plate boundary between Yakutat Bay and Prince William Sound had been identified as a seismic gap, an area devoid of major earthquakes during the last few decades, and was thought to be a likely site for a future major earthquake. Since the Saint Elias earthquake fills onlymore » the eastern quarter of the gap, the remainder of the gap to the west is a prime area for the study of precursory and coseismic phenomena associated with large earthquakes. 1 figure, 1 table.« less

  20. Large gap magnetic suspension system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Abdelsalam, Moustafa K.; Eyssa, Y. M.

    1991-01-01

    The design of a large gap magnetic suspension system is discussed. Some of the topics covered include: the system configuration, permanent magnet material, levitation magnet system, superconducting magnets, resistive magnets, superconducting levitation coils, resistive levitation coils, levitation magnet system, and the nitrogen cooled magnet system.

  1. Highly conductive thermoplastic composites for rapid production of fuel cell bipolar plates

    DOEpatents

    Huang, Jianhua [Blacksburg, VA; Baird, Donald G [Blacksburg, VA; McGrath, James E [Blacksburg, VA

    2008-04-29

    A low cost method of fabricating bipolar plates for use in fuel cells utilizes a wet lay process for combining graphite particles, thermoplastic fibers, and reinforcing fibers to produce a plurality of formable sheets. The formable sheets are then molded into a bipolar plates with features impressed therein via the molding process. The bipolar plates formed by the process have conductivity in excess of 150 S/cm and have sufficient mechanical strength to be used in fuel cells. The bipolar plates can be formed as a skin/core laminate where a second polymer material is used on the skin surface which provides for enhanced conductivity, chemical resistance, and resistance to gas permeation.

  2. Lithospheric Structure and Isostasy of Central Andes: Implication for plate Coupling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mahatsente, R.; Rutledge, S.

    2017-12-01

    A significant section of the Peru-Chile convergent zone is building up stresses. The interseismic coupling in northern and southern Peru is significantly high indicating, elastic energy accumulation since the 1746 and 1868 earthquakes of magnitude 8.6 and 8.8 , respectively. Similar seismic patterns have also been observed in Central Chile. The plate interface beneath Central Chile is highly coupled, and the narrow zones of low coupling separate seismic gaps. The reasons for the seismic gaps and plate coupling are yet unknown, but the configuration of the slab is thought to be the main factor. Here, we assessed the locking mechanism and isostatic state of the Central Andes based on gravity models of the crust and upper mantle structure. The density models are based on satellite gravity data and are constrained by velocity models and earthquake hypocenters. The gravity models indicate a high-density batholithic structure in the fore-arc, overlying the subducting Nazca plate. This high-density body pushes downward on the slab, causing the slab to lock with the overlying continental plate. The increased compressive stress closer to the trench, due to the increased contact area between the subducting and overriding plates, may have increased the plate coupling in the Central Andes. Thus, trench parallel crustal thickness and density variations along the Central Andes and buoyancy force on the subducting Nazca plate may control plate coupling and asperity generation. The western part of the Central Andes may be undercompensated. There is a residual topography of 800 m in the western part of the Central Andes that cannot be explained by the observed crustal thicknesses. Thus, part of the observed topography in the western part of the Central Andes may be dynamically supported by mantle wedge flow below the overriding plate.

  3. Propagation of thickness-twist waves in a piezoelectric ceramic plate with unattached electrodes.

    PubMed

    Qian, Zheng-Hua; Kishimoto, Kikuo; Yang, Jiashi

    2009-06-01

    We analyze the propagation of thickness-twist waves in an unbounded piezoelectric ceramic plate with air gaps between the plate surfaces and two electrodes. These waves are also called anti-plane or shear-horizontal waves with one displacement component only. An exact solution is obtained from the equations of the linear theory of piezoelectricity. Dispersion relations of the waves are obtained and plotted. Results show that the wave frequency or speed is sensitive to the air gap thickness. This effect can be used to manipulate the behavior of the waves and has implications in acoustic wave devices.

  4. Biomechanical Assessment of Locked Plating for the Fixation of Patella Fractures.

    PubMed

    Wurm, Simone; Augat, Peter; Bühren, Volker

    2015-09-01

    To analyze the mechanical stability of locked plating in comparison with tension-band wiring for the fixation of fractures of the patella. Biomechanical tests were performed on artificial foam patella specimens comparing an angular stable plate and monocortical screws with tension-band wiring. Tests were performed under combined tension and bending until failure simulating physiological loading of the tibia during walking. Tension-band wiring failed at 66% of the failure load of plating (1052 N, P = 0.002) and had 5 times larger fracture gap displacements (P = 0.002). Based on the biomechanical advantages, locked plating of the patella may constitute a reasonable alternative in the treatment of patella fractures.

  5. Unitary plate electrode

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rowlette, John J. (Inventor); Clough, Thomas J. (Inventor); Josefowicz, Jack Y. (Inventor); Sibert, John W. (Inventor)

    1985-01-01

    The unitary electrode (10) comprises a porous sheet (12) of fiberglass the strands (14) of which contain a coating (16) of conductive tin oxide. The lower portion of the sheet contains a layer (18) of resin and the upper layer (20) contains lead dioxide forming a positive active electrode on an electrolyte-impervious layer. The strands (14) form a continuous conduction path through both layers (16, 18). Tin oxide is prevented from reduction by coating the surface of the plate facing the negative electrode with a conductive, impervious layer resistant to reduction such as a thin film (130) of lead or graphite filled resin adhered to the plate with a layer (31) of conductive adhesive. The plate (10) can be formed by casting a molten resin from kettle (60) onto a sheet of glass wool (56) overlying a sheet of lead foil and then applying positive active paste from hopper (64) into the upper layer (68). The plate can also be formed by passing an assembly of a sheet ( 80) of resin, a sheet (86) of sintered glass and a sheet (90) of lead between the nip (92) of heated rollers (93, 95) and then filling lead oxide into the pores (116) of the upper layer (118).

  6. Active Tectonics Around Pisagua, Northern Chile Gap: Seismological and Neotectonic Approaches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Comte, D.; Carrizo, D.; Peyrat, S.

    2013-12-01

    Northern Chile is a recognized mature seismic gap that is reaching the end of its megathrust cycle. Deformation associated with the convergence between the Nazca and the South American Plates is mainly absorbed along the interplate contact, but also partially accommodated along the upper plate. Even though distribution of the active deformation along this plate has been documented mainly in the backarc region, Late Cenozoic structures have been recognized along the forearc suggesting that some part of this deformation is also accommodated along the coastal region. Recent paleoseismological studies suggest that some of these structures are tectonically active and some could be potentially active, capable to generate shallow intraplate earthquakes (Mw˜7). However, seismological and geodetical evidences of the fault activation mechanisms are poorly documented, and the activation process remain not elucidate. Currently, Northern Chile seismic gap is monitored by regional seismic networks and partially studied by temporary local seismological experiments. Results of these studies suggest the presence of shallow seismicity along the forearc, but the relationships between upper plate faults and the seismicity has not been yet explored. We perform a detailed seismotectonic analysis of the subduction-forearc system in the central part of the Northern Chile seismic gap to establish relationships between the plate contact deformation and the upper plate faults. We present preliminary results of data recorded by a dense seismic network (three components continuous recording) deployed around Pisagua, between the coastline and the Central Depression, during several months. Pisagua region was chosen because the forearc faults exhibit an extraordinary well-preserved morphotectonic expression, and the upper part of the seismogenic interplate contact shows abundant continental intraplate seismicity that could be associated with the faults systems. The data recorded in this area

  7. Composite bipolar plate for electrochemical cells

    DOEpatents

    Wilson, Mahlon S.; Busick, Deanna N.

    2001-01-01

    A bipolar separator plate for fuel cells consists of a molded mixture of a vinyl ester resin and graphite powder. The plate serves as a current collector and may contain fluid flow fields for the distribution of reactant gases. The material is inexpensive, electrically conductive, lightweight, strong, corrosion resistant, easily mass produced, and relatively impermeable to hydrogen gas. The addition of certain fiber reinforcements and other additives can improve the properties of the composite material without significantly increasing its overall cost.

  8. Assessment of Uncertainties for the NIST 1016 mm Guarded-Hot-Plate Apparatus: Extended Analysis for Low-Density Fibrous-Glass Thermal Insulation.

    PubMed

    Zarr, Robert R

    2010-01-01

    An assessment of uncertainties for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 1016 mm Guarded-Hot-Plate apparatus is presented. The uncertainties are reported in a format consistent with current NIST policy on the expression of measurement uncertainty. The report describes a procedure for determination of component uncertainties for thermal conductivity and thermal resistance for the apparatus under operation in either the double-sided or single-sided mode of operation. An extensive example for computation of uncertainties for the single-sided mode of operation is provided for a low-density fibrous-glass blanket thermal insulation. For this material, the relative expanded uncertainty for thermal resistance increases from 1 % for a thickness of 25.4 mm to 3 % for a thickness of 228.6 mm. Although these uncertainties have been developed for a particular insulation material, the procedure and, to a lesser extent, the results are applicable to other insulation materials measured at a mean temperature close to 297 K (23.9 °C, 75 °F). The analysis identifies dominant components of uncertainty and, thus, potential areas for future improvement in the measurement process. For the NIST 1016 mm Guarded-Hot-Plate apparatus, considerable improvement, especially at higher values of thermal resistance, may be realized by developing better control strategies for guarding that include better measurement techniques for the guard gap thermopile voltage and the temperature sensors.

  9. Assessment of Uncertainties for the NIST 1016 mm Guarded-Hot-Plate Apparatus: Extended Analysis for Low-Density Fibrous-Glass Thermal Insulation

    PubMed Central

    Zarr, Robert R.

    2010-01-01

    An assessment of uncertainties for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 1016 mm Guarded-Hot-Plate apparatus is presented. The uncertainties are reported in a format consistent with current NIST policy on the expression of measurement uncertainty. The report describes a procedure for determination of component uncertainties for thermal conductivity and thermal resistance for the apparatus under operation in either the double-sided or single-sided mode of operation. An extensive example for computation of uncertainties for the single-sided mode of operation is provided for a low-density fibrous-glass blanket thermal insulation. For this material, the relative expanded uncertainty for thermal resistance increases from 1 % for a thickness of 25.4 mm to 3 % for a thickness of 228.6 mm. Although these uncertainties have been developed for a particular insulation material, the procedure and, to a lesser extent, the results are applicable to other insulation materials measured at a mean temperature close to 297 K (23.9 °C, 75 °F). The analysis identifies dominant components of uncertainty and, thus, potential areas for future improvement in the measurement process. For the NIST 1016 mm Guarded-Hot-Plate apparatus, considerable improvement, especially at higher values of thermal resistance, may be realized by developing better control strategies for guarding that include better measurement techniques for the guard gap thermopile voltage and the temperature sensors. PMID:27134779

  10. Operation of low-noise single-gap RPC modules exposed to ionisation rates up to 1 kHz /cm2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ćwiok, M.; Dominik, W.; Górski, M.; Królikowski, J.

    2004-11-01

    Two single gap medium-size RPC modules, made of bakelite plates of very good mechanical quality of the surface and having initial volume resistivity of 1 ×1010 Ω cm, were tested in the Gamma Irradiation Facility at CERN at ionisation rates up to 1 kHz /cm2. The internal surfaces facing the gas volume of one RPC module were cladded with a thin layer of linseed oil varnish for comparison of oiled and non-oiled RPC operation. The results refer to the gas mixture of C2H2F4/isobutane (97:3) with SF6 addition below 1%. The single gap modules exhibited full detection efficiency plateau for the high voltage range of about 1 kV at full intensity of gamma rays. Good timing characteristics allowed to reach 95% efficiency at fully opened irradiation source with time window of 20 ns. The intrinsic noise rate for a non-oiled and an oiled RPC gap was, respectively, below 5 and 1 Hz /cm2 at full efficiency over 1 kV voltage range.

  11. Anatomical Thin Titanium Mesh Plate Structural Optimization for Zygomatic-Maxillary Complex Fracture under Fatigue Testing.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yu-Tzu; Huang, Shao-Fu; Fang, Yu-Ting; Huang, Shou-Chieh; Cheng, Hwei-Fang; Chen, Chih-Hao; Wang, Po-Fang; Lin, Chun-Li

    2018-01-01

    This study performs a structural optimization of anatomical thin titanium mesh (ATTM) plate and optimal designed ATTM plate fabricated using additive manufacturing (AM) to verify its stabilization under fatigue testing. Finite element (FE) analysis was used to simulate the structural bending resistance of a regular ATTM plate. The Taguchi method was employed to identify the significance of each design factor in controlling the deflection and determine an optimal combination of designed factors. The optimal designed ATTM plate with patient-matched facial contour was fabricated using AM and applied to a ZMC comminuted fracture to evaluate the resting maxillary micromotion/strain under fatigue testing. The Taguchi analysis found that the ATTM plate required a designed internal hole distance to be 0.9 mm, internal hole diameter to be 1 mm, plate thickness to be 0.8 mm, and plate height to be 10 mm. The designed plate thickness factor primarily dominated the bending resistance up to 78% importance. The averaged micromotion (displacement) and strain of the maxillary bone showed that ZMC fracture fixation using the miniplate was significantly higher than those using the AM optimal designed ATTM plate. This study concluded that the optimal designed ATTM plate with enough strength to resist the bending effect can be obtained by combining FE and Taguchi analyses. The optimal designed ATTM plate with patient-matched facial contour fabricated using AM provides superior stabilization for ZMC comminuted fractured bone segments.

  12. Electrically-induced stresses and deflection in multiple plates

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

    Hu, Jih-Perng; Tichler, P.R.

    Thermohydraulic tests are being planned at the High Flux Beam Reactor of Brookhaven National Laboratory, in which direct electrical heating of metal plates will simulate decay heating in parallel plate-type fuel elements. The required currents are high if plates are made of metal with a low electrical resistance, such as aluminum. These high currents will induce either attractive or repulsive forces between adjacent current-carrying plates. Such forces, if strong enough, will cause the plates to deflect and so change the geometry of the coolant channel between the plates. Since this is undesirable, an analysis has been made to evaluate themore » magnitude of the deflection and related stresses. In contrast to earlier publications in which either a concentrated or a uniform load was assumed, in this paper an exact force distribution on the plate is analytically solved and then used for stress and deflection calculations, assuming each plate to be a simply supported beam. Results indicate that due to superposition of the induced forces between plates in a multiple-and-parallel plate array, the maximum deflection and bending stress occur at the midpoint of the outermost plate. The maximum shear stress, which is inversely proportional to plate thickness, occurs at both ends of the outermost plate.« less

  13. Electrically-induced stresses and deflection in multiple plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hu, Jih-Perng; Tichler, P. R.

    1992-04-01

    Thermohydraulic tests are being planned at the High Flux Beam Reactor of Brookhaven National Laboratory, in which direct electrical heating of metal plates will simulate decay heating in parallel plate-type fuel elements. The required currents are high if plates are made of metal with a low electrical resistance, such as aluminum. These high currents will induce either attractive or repulsive forces between adjacent current-carrying plates. Such forces, if strong enough, will cause the plates to deflect and so change the geometry of the coolant channel between the plates. Since this is undesirable, an analysis was made to evaluate the magnitude of the deflection and related stresses. In contrast to earlier publications in which either a concentrated or a uniform load was assumed, in this paper an exact force distribution on the plate is analytically solved and then used for stress and deflection calculations, assuming each plate to be a simply supported beam. Results indicate that due to superposition of the induced forces between plates in a multiple-and-parallel plate array, the maximum deflection and bending stress occur at the midpoint of the outermost plate. The maximum shear stress, which is inversely proportional to plate thickness, occurs at both ends of the outermost plate.

  14. Biomechanical analysis of a new carbon fiber/flax/epoxy bone fracture plate shows less stress shielding compared to a standard clinical metal plate.

    PubMed

    Bagheri, Zahra S; Tavakkoli Avval, Pouria; Bougherara, Habiba; Aziz, Mina S R; Schemitsch, Emil H; Zdero, Radovan

    2014-09-01

    Femur fracture at the tip of a total hip replacement (THR), commonly known as Vancouver B1 fracture, is mainly treated using rigid metallic bone plates which may result in "stress shielding" leading to bone resorption and implant loosening. To minimize stress shielding, a new carbon fiber (CF)/Flax/Epoxy composite plate has been developed and biomechanically compared to a standard clinical metal plate. For fatigue tests, experiments were done using six artificial femurs cyclically loaded through the femoral head in axial compression for four stages: Stage 1 (intact), stage 2 (after THR insertion), stage 3 (after plate fixation of a simulated Vancouver B1 femoral midshaft fracture gap), and stage 4 (after fracture gap healing). For fracture fixation, one group was fitted with the new CF/Flax/Epoxy plate (n = 3), whereas another group was repaired with a standard clinical metal plate (Zimmer, Warsaw, IN) (n = 3). In addition to axial stiffness measurements, infrared thermography technique was used to capture the femur and plate surface stresses during the testing. Moreover, finite element analysis (FEA) was performed to evaluate the composite plate's axial stiffness and surface stress field. Experimental results showed that the CF/Flax/Epoxy plated femur had comparable axial stiffness (fractured = 645 ± 67 N/mm; healed = 1731 ± 109 N/mm) to the metal-plated femur (fractured = 658 ± 69 N/mm; healed = 1751 ± 39 N/mm) (p = 1.00). However, the bone beneath the CF/Flax/Epoxy plate was the only area that had a significantly higher average surface stress (fractured = 2.10 ± 0.66 MPa; healed = 1.89 ± 0.39 MPa) compared to bone beneath the metal plate (fractured = 1.18 ± 0.93 MPa; healed = 0.71 ± 0.24 MPa) (p < 0.05). FEA bone surface stresses yielded peak of 13 MPa at distal epiphysis (stage 1), 16 MPa at distal epiphysis (stage 2), 85 MPa for composite and 129

  15. Bipolar battery plate

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rowlette, John J. (Inventor)

    1985-01-01

    A liquid-impermeable plate (10) having throughplate conductivity with essentially zero resistance comprises an insulator sheet (12) having a series of spaced perforations (14) each of which contains a metal element (16) sealingly received into the perforation (14). A low-cost plate can readily be manufactured by punching a thermoplastic sheet (40) such as polypropylene with a punching tool (52), filling the apertures with lead spheres (63) having a diameter smaller than the holes (50) but larger than the thickness of the sheet, sweeping excess spheres (62) off the sheet with a doctor blade (60) and then pressing a heated platen (74) onto the sheet to swage the spheres into a cylindrical shape and melt the surrounding resin to form a liquid-impermeable collar (4) sealing the metal into the sheet.

  16. Resistance modulation in VO2 nanowires induced by an electric field via air-gap gates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kanki, Teruo; Chikanari, Masashi; Wei, Tingting; Tanaka, Hidekazu; The Institute of Scientific; Industrial Research Team

    Vanadium dioxide (VO2) shows huge resistance change with metal-insulator transition (MIT) at around room temperature. Controlling of the MIT by applying an electric field is a topical ongoing research toward the realization of Mott transistor. In this study, we have successfully switched channel resistance of VO2 nano-wire channels by a pure electrostatic field effect using a side-gate-type field-effect transistor (SG-FET) viaair gap and found that single crystalline VO2 nanowires and the channels with narrower width enhance transport modulation rate. The rate of change in resistance ((R0-R)/R, where R0 and R is the resistance of VO2 channel with off state and on state gate voltage (VG) , respectively) was 0.42 % at VG = 30 V in in-plane poly-crystalline VO2 channels on Al2O3(0001) substrates, while the rate in single crystalline channels on TiO2 (001) substrates was 3.84 %, which was 9 times higher than that using the poly-crystalline channels. With reducing wire width from 3000 nm to 400 nm of VO2 on TiO2 (001) substrate, furthermore, resistance modulation ratio enhanced from 0.67 % to 3.84 %. This change can not be explained by a simple free-electron model. In this presentation, we will compare the electronic properties between in-plane polycrystalline VO2 on Al2O3 (0001) and single crystalline VO2 on TiO2 (001) substrates, and show experimental data in detail..

  17. How the interior viscosity structure of a terrestrial planet controls plate driving forces and plate tectonics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoeink, T.; Lenardic, A.; Jellinek, M.; Richards, M. A.

    2011-12-01

    One of the fundamental unresolved problems in Earth and planetary science is the generation of plate tectonics from mantle convection. Important achievements can be made when considering rheological properties in the context of mantle convection dynamics. Among these milestones are (1) a deeper understanding of the balance of forces that drive and resist plate motion and (2) the dynamic generation of narrow plate boundaries (that lead to a piecewise continuous surface velocity distribution). Extending classic plate-tectonic theory we predict a plate driving force due to viscous coupling at the base of the plate from fast flow in the asthenosphere. Flow in the asthenosphere is due to shear-driven contributions from an overriding plate and due to additional pressure-driven contributions. We use scaling analysis to show that the extent to which this additional plate-driving force contributes to plate motions depends on the lateral dimension of plates and on the relative viscosities and thicknesses of lithosphere and asthenosphere. Whereas slab-pull forces always govern the motions of plates with a lateral extent greater than the mantle depth, asthenosphere-drive forces can be relatively more important for smaller (shorter wavelength) plates, large relative asthenosphere viscosities or large asthenosphere thicknesses. Published plate velocities, tomographic images and age-binned mean shear wave velocity anomaly data allow us to estimate the relative contributions of slab-pull and asthenosphere-drive forces driving the motions of the Atlantic and Pacific plates. At the global scale of terrestrial planets, we use 3D spherical shell simulations of mantle convection with temperature-, depth- and stress dependent rheology to demonstrate that a thin low-viscosity layer (asthenosphere) governs convective stresses imparted to the lithosphere. We find, consistent with theoretical predictions, that convective stresses increase for thinner asthenospheres. This result might

  18. Reusable Thermal Barrier for Insulation Gaps

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Saladee, C. E.

    1985-01-01

    Filler composed of resilient, heat-resistant materials. Thermal barrier nestles snugly in gap between two tiles with minimal protrusion beyond faces of surrounding tiles. When removed from gap, barrier springs back to nearly original shape. Developed for filling spaces between tiles on Space Shuttle, also used in furnaces and kilns.

  19. Gradual unlocking of plate boundary controlled initiation of the 2014 Iquique earthquake.

    PubMed

    Schurr, Bernd; Asch, Günter; Hainzl, Sebastian; Bedford, Jonathan; Hoechner, Andreas; Palo, Mauro; Wang, Rongjiang; Moreno, Marcos; Bartsch, Mitja; Zhang, Yong; Oncken, Onno; Tilmann, Frederik; Dahm, Torsten; Victor, Pia; Barrientos, Sergio; Vilotte, Jean-Pierre

    2014-08-21

    On 1 April 2014, Northern Chile was struck by a magnitude 8.1 earthquake following a protracted series of foreshocks. The Integrated Plate Boundary Observatory Chile monitored the entire sequence of events, providing unprecedented resolution of the build-up to the main event and its rupture evolution. Here we show that the Iquique earthquake broke a central fraction of the so-called northern Chile seismic gap, the last major segment of the South American plate boundary that had not ruptured in the past century. Since July 2013 three seismic clusters, each lasting a few weeks, hit this part of the plate boundary with earthquakes of increasing peak magnitudes. Starting with the second cluster, geodetic observations show surface displacements that can be associated with slip on the plate interface. These seismic clusters and their slip transients occupied a part of the plate interface that was transitional between a fully locked and a creeping portion. Leading up to this earthquake, the b value of the foreshocks gradually decreased during the years before the earthquake, reversing its trend a few days before the Iquique earthquake. The mainshock finally nucleated at the northern end of the foreshock area, which skirted a locked patch, and ruptured mainly downdip towards higher locking. Peak slip was attained immediately downdip of the foreshock region and at the margin of the locked patch. We conclude that gradual weakening of the central part of the seismic gap accentuated by the foreshock activity in a zone of intermediate seismic coupling was instrumental in causing final failure, distinguishing the Iquique earthquake from most great earthquakes. Finally, only one-third of the gap was broken and the remaining locked segments now pose a significant, increased seismic hazard with the potential to host an earthquake with a magnitude of >8.5.

  20. A biomechanical comparison of four fixed-angle dorsal plates in a finite element model of dorsally-unstable radius fracture.

    PubMed

    Knežević, Josip; Kodvanj, Janoš; Čukelj, Fabijan; Pamuković, Frane; Pavić, Arsen

    2017-11-01

    To compare the finite element models of two different composite radius fracture patterns, reduced and stabilised with four different fixed-angle dorsal plates during axial, dorsal and volar loading conditions. Eight different plastic models representing four AO/ASIF type 23-A3 distal radius fractures and four AO/ASIF 23-C2 distal radius fractures were obtained and fixed each with 1 of 4 methods: a standard dorsal non-anatomical fixed angle T-plate (3.5mm Dorsal T-plate, Synthes), anatomical fixed-angle double plates (2.4mm LCP Dorsal Distal Radius, Synthes), anatomical fixed angle T-plate (2.4mm Acu-Loc Dorsal Plate, Acumed) or anatomical variable-angle dorsal T-plate (3.5mm, Dorsal Plate, Zrinski). Composite radius with plate and screws were scanned with a 3D optical scanner and later processed in Abaqus Software to generate the finite element model. All models were axially loaded at 3 points (centrally, volarly and dorsally) with 50 N forces to avoid the appearance of plastic deformations of the models. Total displacements at the end of the bone and the stresses in the bones and plates were determined and compared. Maximal von Mises stress in bone for 3-part fracture models was very similar to that in 2-part fracture models. The biggest difference between models and the largest displacements were seen during volar loading. The stresses in all models were the highest above the fracture gap. The best performance in all parameters tested was with the Zrinski plate and the most modest results were with the Synthes T-plate. There was no significant difference between 2-part (AO/ASIF type 23-A3) and 3-part (AO/ASIF 23-C2) fracture models. Maximal stresses in the plates appeared above the fracture gap; therefore, it is worth considering the development of plates without screw holes above the gap. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Herbivore-induced callose deposition on the sieve plates of rice: an important mechanism for host resistance.

    PubMed

    Hao, Peiying; Liu, Caixiang; Wang, Yuanyuan; Chen, Rongzhi; Tang, Ming; Du, Bo; Zhu, Lili; He, Guangcun

    2008-04-01

    The brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål; BPH) is a specialist herbivore on rice (Oryza sativa) that ingests phloem sap from the plant through its stylet mouthparts. Electronic penetration graphs revealed that BPH insects spent more time wandering over plants carrying the resistance genes Bph14 and Bph15, but less time ingesting phloem than they did on susceptible plants. They also showed that their feeding was frequently interrupted. Tests with [(14)C]sucrose showed that insects ingested much less phloem sap from the resistant than the susceptible plants. BPH feeding up-regulated callose synthase genes and induced callose deposition in the sieve tubes at the point where the stylet was inserted. The compact callose remained intact in the resistant plants, but genes encoding beta-1,3-glucanases were activated, causing unplugging of the sieve tube occlusions in susceptible plants. Continuing ingestion led to a remarkable reduction in the susceptible plants' sucrose content and activation of the RAmy3D gene, leading to starch hydrolysis and ultimately carbohydrate deprivation in the plants. Our results demonstrate that BPH feeding induces the deposition of callose on sieve plates in rice and that this is an important defense mechanism that prevents insects from ingesting phloem sap. In response, however, the BPH can unplug sieve tube occlusions by activating beta-1,3-glucanase genes in rice plants.

  2. Vibration analysis of resistance spot welding joint for dissimilar plate structure (mild steel 1010 and stainless steel 304)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sani, M. S. M.; Nazri, N. A.; Alawi, D. A. J.

    2017-09-01

    Resistance spot welding (RSW) is a proficient joining method commonly used for sheet metal joining and become one of the oldest spot welding processes use in industry especially in the automotive. RSW involves the application of heat and pressure without neglecting time taken when joining two or more metal sheets at a localized area which is claimed as the most efficient welding process in metal fabrication. The purpose of this project is to perform model updating of RSW plate structure between mild steel 1010 and stainless steel 304. In order to do the updating, normal mode finite element analysis (FEA) and experimental modal analysis (EMA) have been carried out. Result shows that the discrepancies of natural frequency between FEA and EMA are below than 10 %. Sensitivity model updating is evaluated in order to make sure which parameters are influences in this structural dynamic modification. Young’s modulus and density both materials are indicate significant parameters to do model updating. As a conclusion, after perform model updating, total average error of dissimilar RSW plate is improved significantly.

  3. Results Of Insulation Resistance Between Solar Cell String Gaps Without RTV Adhesive Grout After Electrostatic Discharge Tests With Cover Glass Flashover

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoang, Bao; Wong, Frankie; Redick, Tod; Masui, Hirokazu; Endo, Taishi; Toyoda, Kazuhiro; Cho, Mengu

    2011-10-01

    A series of electrostatic discharge (ESD) tests was performed on solar array test coupons consisting of Advanced Triple Junction InGaP2/InGaAs/Ge solar cells. The motivation for these tests was to evaluate the effects of ESD on solar array design without room temperature vulcanized (RTV) adhesive grout between the string-to-string parallel gaps. To investigate the threshold of permanently sustained secondary arcs, various combinations of gap width, load voltage and string current were tested in a vacuum chamber equipped with an electron beam gun. This ESD test program included the ESD test circuit with simulated panel coverglass flashover. Although ESD events did not result in permanent sustained arcs, the insulation resistance between strings was found to decrease as the number of secondary arcs accumulated in the gap.

  4. Tomographic Signatures of Ridge Subduction Along Western North America: Implications for Northern Cordillera Plate Tectonics Since the Cretaceous

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Y. A.; Wu, J.

    2017-12-01

    A number of northern Cordillera plate reconstructions have predicted subduction of the Kula-Farallon ridge and possibly other ridges along western North America after the late Mesozoic. The timing and location of these predicted ridge subduction events have been controversial, with implications for rapid northward terrane motions (i.e. the Baja-British Columbia hypothesis). In contrast, Sigloch and Mihalynuk (2013) proposed an archipelago-style plate model that placed one or several Jurassic-Cretaceous ocean basins between the Farallon plate and western North America, which apparently would preclude any sustained Kula-Farallon ridge subduction along western North America. In this study we test the viability of these models by mapping and unfolding subducted slabs from MITP08 tomography (Li et al., 2008) between Alaska and California within the upper 1500 km mantle. Our aim was to locate significant slab gaps that might be related to ancient ridge subduction `slab windows'. Tomographic velocities were extracted and displayed on our mapped slabs following the methods of Wu et al. (2016) to assist with the identification of slab gaps or windows. Near Alaska, we mapped the Aleutian slab and a detached slab that was previously identified as the `K slab' by Sigloch and Mihalynuk (2013). When unfolded these slabs apparently account for Pacific-Kula convergence towards Alaska since the late Cretaceous. We did not find evidence for a ridge subduction-related slab gap under the Alaskan region. Between northern Canada to California, we mapped the Juan de Fuca slab and several detached slabs at 1000 to 1500 km depths that were previously identified by Sigloch and Mihalynuk (2013). The velocity perturbations within our mapped slabs revealed slower P-wavespeed `slab gaps' under southernmost Alaska, Yukon, and British Columbia between the mapped Kula and Juan de Fuca plate. We did not find evidence of the hypothesized Resurrection plate. We compare our mapped slab gaps to

  5. Aerodynamic and acoustic effects of ventricular gap.

    PubMed

    Alipour, Fariborz; Karnell, Michael

    2014-03-01

    Supraglottic compression is frequently observed in individuals with dysphonia. It is commonly interpreted as an indication of excessive circumlaryngeal muscular tension and ventricular medialization. The purpose of this study was to describe the aerodynamic and acoustic impact of varying ventricular medialization in a canine model. Subglottal air pressure, glottal airflow, electroglottograph, acoustic signals, and high-speed video images were recorded in seven excised canine larynges mounted in vitro for laryngeal vibratory experimentation. The degree of gap between the ventricular folds was adjusted and measured using sutures and weights. Data were recorded during phonation when the ventricular gap was narrow, neutral, and large. Glottal resistance was estimated by measures of subglottal pressure and glottal flow. Glottal resistance increased systematically as ventricular gap became smaller. Wide ventricular gaps were associated with increases in fundamental frequency and decreases in glottal resistance. Sound pressure level did not appear to be impacted by the adjustments in ventricular gap used in this research. Increases in supraglottic compression and associated reduced ventricular width may be observed in a variety of disorders that affect voice quality. Ventricular compression may interact with true vocal fold posture and vibration resulting in predictable changes in aerodynamic, physiological, acoustic, and perceptual measures of phonation. The data from this report supports the theory that narrow ventricular gaps may be associated with disordered phonation. In vitro and in vivo human data are needed to further test this association. Copyright © 2014 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Current density and catalyst-coated membrane resistance distribution of hydro-formed metallic bipolar plate fuel cell short stack with 250 cm2 active area

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haase, S.; Moser, M.; Hirschfeld, J. A.; Jozwiak, K.

    2016-01-01

    An automotive fuel cell with an active area of 250 cm2 is investigated in a 4-cell short stack with a current and temperature distribution device next to the bipolar plate with 560 current and 140 temperature segments. The electrical conductivities of the bipolar plate and gas diffusion layer assembly are determined ex-situ with this current scan shunt module. The applied fuel cell consists of bipolar plates constructed of 75-μm-thick, welded stainless-steel foils and a graphitic coating. The electrical conductivities of the bipolar plate and gas diffusion layer assembly are determined ex-situ with this module with a 6% deviation in in-plane conductivity. The current density distribution is evaluated up to 2.4 A cm-2. The entire cell's investigated volumetric power density is 4.7 kW l-1, and its gravimetric power density is 4.3 kW kg-1 at an average cell voltage of 0.5 V. The current density distribution is determined without influencing the operating cell. In addition, the current density distribution in the catalyst-coated membrane and its effective resistivity distribution with a finite volume discretisation of Ohm's law are evaluated. The deviation between the current density distributions in the catalyst-coated membrane and the bipolar plate is determined.

  7. Effect of a surface-to-gap temperature discontinuity on the heat transfer to reusable surface insulation tile gaps. [of the space shuttle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Throckmorton, D. A.

    1976-01-01

    An experimental investigation is presented that was performed to determine the effect of a surface-to-gap wall temperature discontinuity on the heat transfer within space shuttle, reusable surface insulation, tile gaps submerged in a thick turbulent boundary layer. Heat-transfer measurements were obtained on a flat-plate, single-gap model submerged in a turbulent tunnel wall boundary layer at a nominal free-stream Mach number of 10.3 and free-stream Reynolds numbers per meter of 1.5 million, 3.3 million and 7.8 million. Surface-to-gap wall temperature discontinuities of varying degree were created by heating the surface of the model upstream of the instrumented gap. The sweep angle of the gap was varied between 0 deg and 60 deg; gap width and depth were held constant. A surface-to-gap wall temperature discontinuity (surface temperature greater than gap wall temperature) results in increased heat transfer to the near-surface portion of the gap, as compared with the heat transfer under isothermal conditions, while decreasing the heat transfer to the deeper portions of the gap. The nondimensionalized heat transfer to the near-surface portion of the gap is shown to decrease with increasing Reynolds number; in the deeper portion of the gap, the heat transfer increases with Reynolds number.

  8. Inversion for the driving forces of plate tectonics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Richardson, R. M.

    1983-01-01

    Inverse modeling techniques have been applied to the problem of determining the roles of various forces that may drive and resist plate tectonic motions. Separate linear inverse problems have been solved to find the best fitting pole of rotation for finite element grid point velocities and to find the best combination of force models to fit the observed relative plate velocities for the earth's twelve major plates using the generalized inverse operator. Variance-covariance data on plate motion have also been included. Results emphasize the relative importance of ridge push forces in the driving mechanism. Convergent margin forces are smaller by at least a factor of two, and perhaps by as much as a factor of twenty. Slab pull, apparently, is poorly transmitted to the surface plate as a driving force. Drag forces at the base of the plate are smaller than ridge push forces, although the sign of the force remains in question.

  9. Low pressure spark gap triggered by an ion diode

    DOEpatents

    Prono, Daniel S.

    1985-01-01

    Spark gap apparatus for use as an electric switch operating at high voltage, high current and high repetition rate. Mounted inside a housing are an anode, cathode and ion plate. An ionizable fluid is pumped through the chamber of the housing. A pulse of current to the ion plate causes ions to be emitted by the ion plate, which ions move into and ionize the fluid. Electric current supplied to the anode discharges through the ionized fluid and flows to the cathode. Current stops flowing when the current source has been drained. The ionized fluid recombines into its initial dielectric ionizable state. The switch is now open and ready for another cycle.

  10. Low-pressure spark gap triggered by an ion diode

    DOEpatents

    Prono, D.S.

    1982-08-31

    Spark gap apparatus for use as an electric switch operating at high voltage, high current and high repetition rate. Mounted inside a housing are an anode, cathode and ion plate. An ionizable fluid is pumped through the chamber of the housing. A pulse of current to the ion plate causes ions to be emitted by the ion plate, which ions move into and ionize the fluid. Electric current supplied to the anode discharges through the ionized fluid and flows to the cathode. Current stops flowing when the current source has been drained. The ionized fluid recombines into its initial dielectric ionizable state. The switch is now open and ready for another cycle.

  11. Pneumatic gap sensor and method

    DOEpatents

    Bagdal, Karl T.; King, Edward L.; Follstaedt, Donald W.

    1992-01-01

    An apparatus and method for monitoring and maintaining a predetermined width in the gap between a casting nozzle and a casting wheel, wherein the gap is monitored by means of at least one pneumatic gap sensor. The pneumatic gap sensor is mounted on the casting nozzle in proximity to the casting surface and is connected by means of a tube to a regulator and a transducer. The regulator provides a flow of gas through a restictor to the pneumatic gap sensor, and the transducer translates the changes in the gas pressure caused by the proximity of the casting wheel to the pneumatic gap sensor outlet into a signal intelligible to a control device. The relative positions of the casting nozzle and casting wheel can thereby be selectively adjusted to continually maintain a predetermined distance between their adjacent surfaces. The apparatus and method enables accurate monitoring of the actual casting gap in a simple and reliable manner resistant to the extreme temperatures and otherwise hostile casting environment.

  12. Industrialization of the ion plating process

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Spalvins, T.

    1976-01-01

    A new process referred to as ion plating by induction heating (IPIH) is described, which combines the advantages of both ion plating and induction heating. The IPIH apparatus consists of the specimen (cathode) to be coated and the evaporation heating source, which is a ceramic crucible containing the metal to be heated. The specimen is an internal part of the high-voltage ceramic-metal vacuum feedthrough and is connected to the negative terminal of the high-voltage power supply, the positive terminal of the power supply being grounded. The plating conditions are the same as those most commonly used in industrial ion plating. A number of metals - such as nickel, iron, platinum - which were practically impossible to deposit by resistance heating evaporation can now be effectively evaporated and deposited to any desired thickness. Excellent adherence is observed for many metals deposited on various metal surfaces in thicknesses from 0.15 to 50 microns, regardless of the materials selected for coating and substrate.

  13. Experimental analysis of pressure controlled atomization process (PCAP) coatings for replacement of hard chromium plating

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

    Tierney, J.C.; Glovan, R.J.; Witt, S.J.

    1995-12-31

    A four-phase experimental design was utilized to evaluate the abrasive wear and corrosion protection characteristics of VERSAlloy 50 coatings applied to AISI 4130 steel sheet. The coatings were applied with the Pressure Controlled Atomization Process (PCAP), a new thermal spray process being developed for the United States Air Force to replace hard chromium plating. Phase 1 of the design consisted of an evaluation of deposit profiles that were sprayed at five different standoff distances. Profile measurements yielded standard deviations ({sigma}) of the plume at each of the spray distances. Phase 2 consisted of a completely randomized series of eight spraymore » tests in which the track gap or distance between consecutive spray passes was varied by amounts of 0.5{sigma}, 1{sigma}, 2{sigma}, and 3{sigma}. The sprayed test coupons were then evaluated for corrosion protection, abrasive wear resistance, microhardness, and porosity. Results from Phase 2 were used to determine the best track gap or overlap for Phase 3 and Phase 4 testing. Phase 3 consisted of 22-run central composite design. The test coupons were evaluated the same as in Phase 2. Statistical analysis of Phase 3 data revealed that the optimal system operating parameters produced coatings that would either provide superior corrosion protection or resistance to abrasive wear. Phase 4 consisted of four spray tests to validate the results obtained in Phase 3. Phase 4 test coupons were again evaluated with the same analysis as in Phases 2 and 3. The validation tests indicated that PCAP system operating parameters could be controlled to produce VERSAlloy 50 coatings with superior corrosion protection or resistance to abrasive wear.« less

  14. Filling in the juvenile magmatic gap: Evidence for uninterrupted Paleoproterozoic plate tectonics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Partin, C. A.; Bekker, A.; Sylvester, P. J.; Wodicka, N.; Stern, R. A.; Chacko, T.; Heaman, L. M.

    2014-02-01

    Despite several decades of research on growth of the continental crust, it remains unclear whether the production of juvenile continental crust has been continuous or episodic throughout the Precambrian. Models for episodic crustal growth have gained traction recently through compilations of global U-Pb zircon age frequency distributions interpreted to delineate peaks and lulls in crustal growth through geologic time. One such apparent trough in zircon age frequency distributions between ∼2.45 and 2.22 Ga is thought to represent a pause in crustal addition, resulting from a global shutdown of magmatic and tectonic processes. The ∼2.45-2.22 Ga magmatic shutdown model envisions a causal relationship between the cessation of plate tectonics and accumulation of atmospheric oxygen over the same period. Here, we present new coupled U-Pb, Hf, and O isotope data for detrital and magmatic zircon from the western Churchill Province and Trans-Hudson orogen of Canada, covering an area of approximately 1.3 million km2, that demonstrate significant juvenile crustal production during the ∼2.45-2.22 Ga time interval, and thereby argue against the magmatic shutdown hypothesis. Our data is corroborated by literature data showing an extensive 2.22-2.45 Ga record in both detrital and magmatic rocks on every continent, and suggests that the operation of plate tectonics continued throughout the early Paleoproterozoic, while atmospheric oxygen rose over the same time interval. We argue that uninterrupted plate tectonics between ∼2.45 and 2.22 Ga would have contributed to efficient burial of organic matter and sedimentary pyrite, and the consequent rise in atmospheric oxygen documented for this time interval.

  15. Real time monitoring of electroless nickel plating

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rains, Aaron E.; Kline, Ronald A.

    2013-01-01

    This work deals with the design and manufacturing of the heat and chemical resistant transducer case required for on-line immersion testing, experimental design, data acquisition and signal processing. Results are presented for several depositions with an accuracy of two ten-thousandths of an inch in coating thickness obtained. Monitoring the deposition rate of Electroless Nickel (EN) plating in-situ will provide measurement of the accurate dimensions of the component being plated, in real time. EN is used as for corrosion and wear protection for automotive an - Electroless Nickel (EN) plating is commonly used for corrosion and wear protection for automotive and aerospace components. It plates evenly and symmetrically, theoretically allowing the part to be plated to its final dimension. Currently the standard approach to monitoring the thickness of the deposited nickel is to remove the component from the plating bath and physically measure the part. This can lead to plating problems such as pitting, non-adhesion of the deposit and contamination of the plating solution. The goal of this research effort is to demonstrate that plating thickness can be rapidly and accurately measured using ultrasonic testing. Here a special housing is designed to allow immersion of the ultrasonic transducers directly into the plating bath. An FFT based signal processing algorithm was developed to resolve closely spaced echoes for precise thickness determination. The technique in this research effort was found to be capable of measuring plating thicknesses to within 0.0002 inches. It is expected that this approach will lead to cost savings in many EN plating operations.

  16. Preparation of corrosion-resistant and conductive trivalent Cr-C coatings on 304 stainless steel for use as bipolar plates in proton exchange membrane fuel cells by electrodeposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Hsiang-Cheng; Sheu, Hung-Hua; Lu, Chen-En; Hou, Kung-Hsu; Ger, Ming-Der

    2015-10-01

    In this study, Cr-C-coated bipolar plates are produced by electroplating on the SS304 plates with a machined flow channel. The resulting plates were tested using potentiodynamic and potentiostatic measurements in simulated PEMFC environments, which show that the bipolar plate coated with Cr-C exhibited good anticorrosion performance. The corrosive current density of the Cr-C coating formed for a plating time of 10 min for 10 h exhibits a low stable value of 1.51 × 10-10 A/cm2 during the potentiostatic test in a 0.5 M H2SO4 + 2 ppm HF solution at 70 °C with an air purge, indicating that the Cr-C coating plated for 10 min is stable in a cathode environment. The interfacial contact resistance (ICR) of the bipolar plate with the Cr-C coating clearly improved, presenting an ICR of 19.52 mΩ cm2 at a pressure of 138 N/cm2. The results from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ICR before and after the corrosion tests indicate that the bipolar plate with the Cr-C coating is electrochemically stable. In this study, the maximum power density (212.41 mW/cm2) is obtained at a cell temperature of 80 °C and a gas flow rate of 300 standard cubic centimeters per minute (sccm) when Cr-C coated SS304 bipolar plates were used.

  17. Fixed-angle plate osteosynthesis of the patella - an alternative to tension wiring?

    PubMed

    Wild, M; Eichler, C; Thelen, S; Jungbluth, P; Windolf, J; Hakimi, M

    2010-05-01

    The goal of this study is carry out a biomechanical evaluation of the stability of a bilateral, polyaxial, fixed-angle 2.7 mm plate system specifically designed for use on the patella. The results of this approach are then compared to the two currently most commonly used surgical techniques for patella fractures: modified anterior tension wiring with K-wires and cannulated lag screws with anterior tension wiring. A transient biomechanical analysis determining material failure points of all osteosyntheses were conducted on 21 identical left polyurethane foam patellae, which were osteotomized horizontally. Evaluated were load (N), displacement (mm) and run-time (s) as well as elastic modulus (MPa), tensile strength (MPa) and strain at failure (%). With a maximum load capacity of 2396 (SD 492) N, the fixed-angle plate proved to be significantly stronger than the cannulated lag screws with anterior tension wiring (1015 (SD 246) N) and the modified anterior tension wiring (625 (SD 84.9) N). The fixed-angle plate displayed significantly greater stiffness and lower fracture gap dehiscence than the other osteosyntheses. Additionally, osteosynthesis deformation was found to be lower for the fixed-angle plate. A bilateral fixed-angle plate was the most rigid and stable osteosynthesis for horizontal patella fractures with the least amount of fracture gap dehiscence. Further biomechanical trials performed under cycling loading with fresh cadaver specimen should be done to figure out if a fixed-angle plate may be an alternative in the surgical treatment of patella fractures. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Failure analysis of blistered gold plating on spot welded electrical relays

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sokolowski, Witold; O'Donnell, Tim

    1989-01-01

    Gold-plated stainless-steel sideplates, part of a JPL Galileo spacecraft electronic-relay assembly, exhibited blistering after resistance spot welding. Unacceptable relays had heavy nonuniform gold electrodeposited layers with thicknesses 4.5-11.5 microns. SEM and metallographic investigations indicated much higher heat input generated during the resistance spot welding in unacceptable relays. The attributes of acceptable welded relays are contrasted with unacceptable relays; the possible mechanism of laminar formation of polymeric material in the gold plating is discussed; and some recommendations are provided to prevent similar problems.

  19. Biomechanical comparison of double-row locking plates versus single- and double-row non-locking plates in a comminuted metacarpal fracture model.

    PubMed

    Gajendran, Varun K; Szabo, Robert M; Myo, George K; Curtiss, Shane B

    2009-12-01

    Open or unstable metacarpal fractures frequently require open reduction and internal fixation. Locking plate technology has improved fixation of unstable fractures in certain settings. In this study, we hypothesized that there would be a difference in strength of fixation using double-row locking plates compared with single- and double-row non-locking plates in comminuted metacarpal fractures. We tested our hypothesis in a gap metacarpal fracture model simulating comminution using fourth-generation, biomechanical testing-grade composite sawbones. The metacarpals were divided into 6 groups of 15 bones each. Groups 1 and 4 were plated with a standard 6-hole, 2.3-mm plate in AO fashion. Groups 2 and 5 were plated with a 6-hole double-row 3-dimensional non-locking plate with bicortical screws aimed for convergence. Groups 3 and 6 were plated with a 6-hole double-row 3-dimensional locking plate with unicortical screws. The plated metacarpals were then tested to failure against cantilever apex dorsal bending (groups 1-3) and torsion (groups 4-6). The loads to failure in groups 1 to 3 were 198 +/- 18, 223 +/- 29, and 203 +/- 19 N, respectively. The torques to failure in groups 4 to 6 were 2,033 +/- 155, 3,190 +/- 235, and 3,161 +/- 268 N mm, respectively. Group 2 had the highest load to failure, whereas groups 5 and 6 shared the highest torques to failure (p < .05). Locking and non-locking double-row plates had equivalent bending and torsional stiffness, significantly higher than observed for the single-row non-locking plate. No other statistical differences were noted between groups. When subjected to the physiologically relevant forces of apex dorsal bending and torsion in a comminuted metacarpal fracture model, double-row 3-dimensional non-locking plates provided superior stability in bending and equivalent stability in torsion compared with double-row 3-dimensional locking plates, whereas single-row non-locking plates provided the least stability.

  20. Relative humidity effects on the surface electrical properties of resistive plate chamber melaminic laminates uncoated and coated with polymerized linseed oil film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bearzotti, Andrea; Palummo, Lucrezia

    2007-09-01

    Relative humidity is an important quantity to control in many manufacturing environments such as semiconductor industry. Humidity and moisture can affect many electronic devices, generally rendering their operation worse. In this study we present results showing that in some specific applications, humidity can improve the performance of an electronic device. Resistive plate chambers are used as trigger detectors of the muon system in LHC (large hadron collider) experiments ATLAS (a toroidal LHC apparatus), CMS (compact muon solenoid) and ALICE (a large ion collider experiment) and as detector in cosmic rays experiment ARGO (astrophysical radiation with ground-based observatory). These detectors are made of phenolic-melaminic laminate electrodes, coated with a polymerized linseed oil film delimiting the gaseous sensitive volume. The loss of some of the detector capability can be progressive in time and due to the intrinsic limits of the detector materials. One of these effects is due to an increase of the total plate resistance, that is correlated to ion migration and relativity humidity phenomena. Our purpose is to understand the relative humidity (RH) influence on the conduction mechanisms on the electrodes surface. Results of amperometric measurements on laminate samples kept at a fixed temperature of 22°C, cycling RH between 10% and 90% are here presented.

  1. Degradation in the efficiency of glass Resistive Plate Chambers operated without external gas supply

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baesso, P.; Cussans, D.; Thomay, C.; Velthuis, J.; Burns, J.; Quillin, S.; Stapleton, M.; Steer, C.

    2015-06-01

    Resistive plate chambers (RPC) are particle detectors commonly used by the high energy physics community. Their normal operation requires a constant flow of gas mixture to prevent self-poisoning which reduces the chamber's capability to detect particles. We studied how quickly the efficiency of two RPCs drops when operated in sealed mode, i.e. without refreshing the gas mixture. The test aim is to determine how RPCs could be used as particle detectors in non-laboratory applications, such as those exploiting muon tomography for geological imaging or homeland security. The two sealed RPCs were operated in proportional mode for a period of more than three months, and their efficiencies were recorded continuously and analysed in 8-hours intervals. The results show that the efficiency drops on average by 0.79 ± 0.01 % every 24 hours of operation and returns close to the initial value after purging the old gas mixture and flushing the chambers with fresh gas.

  2. Titanium Carbide Bipolar Plate for Electrochemical Devices

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

    LaConti, Anthony B.; Griffith, Arthur E.; Cropley, Cecelia C.

    Titanium carbide comprises a corrosion resistant, electrically conductive, non-porous bipolar plate for use in an electrochemical device. The process involves blending titanium carbide powder with a suitable binder material, and molding the mixture, at an elevated temperature and pressure.

  3. Motion of the Scotia sea plates

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thomas, C.; Livermore, R.; Pollitz, F.

    2003-01-01

    Earthquake data from the Scotia Arc to early 2002 are reviewed in the light of satellite gravity and other data in order to derive a model for the motion of plates in the Scotia Sea region. Events with magnitude ???5, which occurred on or near the boundaries of the Scotia and Sandwich plates, and for which Centroid Moment Tensor (CMT) solutions are available, are examined. The newer data fill some of the previous sampling gaps along the boundaries of the Scotia and Sandwich plates, and provide tighter constraints on relative motions. Variations in the width of the Brunhes anomaly on evenly spaced marine magnetic profiles over the East Scotia Ridge provide new estimates of Scotia-Sandwich plate spreading rates. Since there are no stable fracture zones in the east Scotia Sea, the mean azimuth of sea floor fabric mapped by sidescan is used to constrain the direction of spreading. 18 new rate estimates and four azimuths from the East Scotia Ridge are combined with 68 selected earthquake slip vectors from the boundaries of the Scotia Sea in a least-squares inversion for the best-fitting set of Euler poles and angular rotation rates describing the 'present-day' motions of the Scotia and Sandwich plates relative to South America and Antarctica. Our preferred model (TLP2003) gives poles that are similar to previous estimates, except for Scotia Plate motion with respect to South America, which is significantly different from earlier estimates; predicted rates of motion also differ slightly. Our results are much more robust than earlier work. We examine the implications of the model for motion and deformation along the various plate boundaries, with particular reference to the North and South Scotia Ridges, where rates are obtained by closure.

  4. Survey of ion plating sources

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Spalvins, T.

    1979-01-01

    Ion plating is a plasma deposition technique where ions of the gas and the evaporant have a decisive role in the formation of a coating in terms of adherence, coherence, and morphological growth. The range of materials that can be ion plated is predominantly determined by the selection of the evaporation source. Based on the type of evaporation source, gaseous media and mode of transport, the following will be discussed: resistance, electron beam sputtering, reactive and ion beam evaporation. Ionization efficiencies and ion energies in the glow discharge determine the percentage of atoms which are ionized under typical ion plating conditions. The plating flux consists of a small number of energetic ions and a large number of energetic neutrals. The energy distribution ranges from thermal energies up to a maximum energy of the discharge. The various reaction mechanisms which contribute to the exceptionally strong adherence - formation of a graded substrate/coating interface are not fully understood, however the controlling factors are evaluated. The influence of process variables on the nucleation and growth characteristics are illustrated in terms of morphological changes which affect the mechanical and tribological properties of the coating.

  5. Interlaced zone plate optics for hard X-ray imaging in the 10 nm range

    DOE PAGES

    Mohacsi, Istvan; Vartiainen, Ismo; Rosner, Benedikt; ...

    2017-03-08

    Multi-keV X-ray microscopy has been particularly successful in bridging the resolution gap between optical and electron microscopy. However, resolutions below 20 nm are still considered challenging, as high throughput direct imaging methods are limited by the availability of suitable optical elements. In order to bridge this gap, we present a new type of Fresnel zone plate lenses aimed at the sub-20 and the sub-10 nm resolution range. By extending the concept of double-sided zone plate stacking, we demonstrate the doubling of the effective line density and thus the resolution and provide large aperture, single- chip optical devices with 15 andmore » 7 nm smallest zone widths. The detailed characterization of these lenses shows excellent optical properties with focal spots down to 7.8 nm. Furthermore, beyond wave front characterization, the zone plates also excel in typical imaging scenarios, verifying their resolution close to their diffraction limited optical performance.« less

  6. Interlaced zone plate optics for hard X-ray imaging in the 10 nm range

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

    Mohacsi, Istvan; Vartiainen, Ismo; Rosner, Benedikt

    Multi-keV X-ray microscopy has been particularly successful in bridging the resolution gap between optical and electron microscopy. However, resolutions below 20 nm are still considered challenging, as high throughput direct imaging methods are limited by the availability of suitable optical elements. In order to bridge this gap, we present a new type of Fresnel zone plate lenses aimed at the sub-20 and the sub-10 nm resolution range. By extending the concept of double-sided zone plate stacking, we demonstrate the doubling of the effective line density and thus the resolution and provide large aperture, single- chip optical devices with 15 andmore » 7 nm smallest zone widths. The detailed characterization of these lenses shows excellent optical properties with focal spots down to 7.8 nm. Furthermore, beyond wave front characterization, the zone plates also excel in typical imaging scenarios, verifying their resolution close to their diffraction limited optical performance.« less

  7. Assessment of function-graded materials as fracture fixation bone-plates under combined loading conditions using finite element modelling.

    PubMed

    Fouad, H

    2011-05-01

    In previous work by Fouad (Medical Engineering and Physics 2010 [23]), 3D finite element (FE) models for fractured bones with function-graded (FG) bone-plates and traditional bone-plates made of stainless steel (SS) and titanium (Ti) alloy were examined under compressive loading conditions using the ABAQUS Code. In this study, the effects of the presence of the torsional load in addition to the compressive load on the predicted stresses of the fracture fixation bone-plate system are examined at different healing stages. The effects on the stress on the fracture site when using contacted and non-contacted bone-plate systems are also studied. The FE modelling results indicate that the torsional load has significant effects on the resultant stress on the fracture fixation bone-plate system, which should be taken into consideration during the design and the analysis. The results also show that the stress shielding at the fracture site decreases significantly when using FG bone-plates compared to Ti alloy or SS bone-plates. The presence of a gap between the bone and the plate results in a remarkable reduction in bone stress shielding at the fracture site. Therefore, the significant effects of using an FG bone-plate with a gap and the presence of torsional load on the resultant stress on the fracture fixation bone-plate system should be taken into consideration. Copyright © 2010 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Weldability evaluation of high tensile plates using GMAW process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Datta, R.; Mukerjee, D.; Rohira, K. L.; Veeraraghavan, R.

    1999-08-01

    High tensile plates, SAILMA-450 high impact (HI) (yield strength, 45 kg/mm2 minimum; ultimate tensile strength, 57 kg/mm2 minimum; elongation, 19% minimum; Charpy impact energy 2.0 kg.m at -20 °C minimum) were successfully developed at the Steel Authority of India Ltd., up to 32 mm plate thickness. Since then the steel has been extensively used for the fabrication of impellers, bridges, excavators, and mining machineries, where welding is an important processing step. The present study deals with the weldability properties of SAILMA-450 HI plates employing the gas metal arc welding process and carbon dioxide gas. Implant and elastic restraint cracking tests were conducted to assess the cold cracking resistance of the weld joint under different welding conditions. The static fatigue limit values were found to be in excess of minimum specified yield strength at higher heat input levels (9.4 and 13.0 kJ/cm), indicating adequate cold cracking resistance. The critical restraint intensities, K cr, were found to vary between 720 and 1280 kg/mm2, indicating that the process can be utilized for fabrication of structures involving moderate to low restraint intensities (200 to 1000 kg/mm2). Lamellar tear tests conducted using full thickness plates at heat input levels ranging from 10 to 27 kJ/cm showed no incidence of lamellar tear upon visual, ultrasonic, and four-section macroexamination. These tests were repeated using machined plates, such that the midthickness of the plates (segregated zone) corresponded to the heat affected zone of the weld. No cracks were observed, indicating good lamellar tear resistance of the weld joint. Optimized welding conditions were formulated based on these tests. The weld joint was subjected to extensive tests to assess the physical properties and soundness of the weld joint. The weld joint exhibited good strength (64.7 kg/mm2) and impact toughness (5.7 and 3.5 kg.m at -20 °C for weld metal and heat affected zone properties. Crack tip

  9. Pneumatic gap sensor and method

    DOEpatents

    Bagdal, K.T.; King, E.L.; Follstaedt, D.W.

    1992-03-03

    An apparatus and method for monitoring and maintaining a predetermined width in the gap between a casting nozzle and a casting wheel, wherein the gap is monitored by means of at least one pneumatic gap sensor. The pneumatic gap sensor is mounted on the casting nozzle in proximity to the casting surface and is connected by means of a tube to a regulator and a transducer. The regulator provides a flow of gas through a restictor to the pneumatic gap sensor, and the transducer translates the changes in the gas pressure caused by the proximity of the casting wheel to the pneumatic gap sensor outlet into a signal intelligible to a control device. The relative positions of the casting nozzle and casting wheel can thereby be selectively adjusted to continually maintain a predetermined distance between their adjacent surfaces. The apparatus and method enables accurate monitoring of the actual casting gap in a simple and reliable manner resistant to the extreme temperatures and otherwise hostile casting environment. 6 figs.

  10. Additive fiber-cerclages in proximal humeral fractures stabilized by locking plates

    PubMed Central

    Hurschler, Christof; Rech, Louise; Vosshenrich, Rolf; Lill, Helmut

    2009-01-01

    Background and purpose The effect of additive fiber-cerclages in proximal humeral fractures stabilized by locking plates on fracture stabilization and rotator cuff function is unclear. Here it was assessed in a human cadaver study. Methods 24 paired human shoulder specimens were harvested from median 77-year-old (range 66–85) female donors. An unstable 3-part fracture model with an intact rotator cuff was developed. 1 specimen of each pair received an additive fiber-cerclage of the rotator cuff after plate fixation, and the other one received a plate fixation without an additive fiber-cerclage. Force-controlled hydraulic cylinders were used to simulate physiological rotator cuff tension, while a robot-assisted shoulder simulator performed 4 relevant cases of load: (1) axial loading at 0°, (2) glenohumeral abduction at 60°, (3) internal rotation at 0° abduction, and (4) external rotation at 0° abduction, and imitated hanging arm weight during loading without affecting joint kinematics. A 3-dimensional real-time interfragmentary motion analysis was done in fracture gaps between the greater tuberosity and the head, as well as subcapital. The capacity of the rotator cuff to strain was analyzed with an optical system. Results Interfragmentary motion was similar between the groups with and without fiber-cerclages, in both fracture gaps and in any of the cases of load. Cerclages did not impair the capacity of the rotator cuff to strain. Interpretation Provided that unstable 3-part fractures are reduced and stabilized anatomically by a locking plate, additive fiber-cerclages do not reduce interfragmentary motion. Additive fiber-cerclages may be necessary in locking plate osteosyntheses of multiple-fractured greater tuberosities or lesser tuberosity fractures that cannot be fixed sufficiently by the plate. PMID:19562564

  11. An Experimentally Validated Numerical Modeling Technique for Perforated Plate Heat Exchangers

    PubMed Central

    Nellis, G. F.; Kelin, S. A.; Zhu, W.; Gianchandani, Y.

    2010-01-01

    Cryogenic and high-temperature systems often require compact heat exchangers with a high resistance to axial conduction in order to control the heat transfer induced by axial temperature differences. One attractive design for such applications is a perforated plate heat exchanger that utilizes high conductivity perforated plates to provide the stream-to-stream heat transfer and low conductivity spacers to prevent axial conduction between the perforated plates. This paper presents a numerical model of a perforated plate heat exchanger that accounts for axial conduction, external parasitic heat loads, variable fluid and material properties, and conduction to and from the ends of the heat exchanger. The numerical model is validated by experimentally testing several perforated plate heat exchangers that are fabricated using microelectromechanical systems based manufacturing methods. This type of heat exchanger was investigated for potential use in a cryosurgical probe. One of these heat exchangers included perforated plates with integrated platinum resistance thermometers. These plates provided in situ measurements of the internal temperature distribution in addition to the temperature, pressure, and flow rate measured at the inlet and exit ports of the device. The platinum wires were deposited between the fluid passages on the perforated plate and are used to measure the temperature at the interface between the wall material and the flowing fluid. The experimental testing demonstrates the ability of the numerical model to accurately predict both the overall performance and the internal temperature distribution of perforated plate heat exchangers over a range of geometry and operating conditions. The parameters that were varied include the axial length, temperature range, mass flow rate, and working fluid. PMID:20976021

  12. An Experimentally Validated Numerical Modeling Technique for Perforated Plate Heat Exchangers.

    PubMed

    White, M J; Nellis, G F; Kelin, S A; Zhu, W; Gianchandani, Y

    2010-11-01

    Cryogenic and high-temperature systems often require compact heat exchangers with a high resistance to axial conduction in order to control the heat transfer induced by axial temperature differences. One attractive design for such applications is a perforated plate heat exchanger that utilizes high conductivity perforated plates to provide the stream-to-stream heat transfer and low conductivity spacers to prevent axial conduction between the perforated plates. This paper presents a numerical model of a perforated plate heat exchanger that accounts for axial conduction, external parasitic heat loads, variable fluid and material properties, and conduction to and from the ends of the heat exchanger. The numerical model is validated by experimentally testing several perforated plate heat exchangers that are fabricated using microelectromechanical systems based manufacturing methods. This type of heat exchanger was investigated for potential use in a cryosurgical probe. One of these heat exchangers included perforated plates with integrated platinum resistance thermometers. These plates provided in situ measurements of the internal temperature distribution in addition to the temperature, pressure, and flow rate measured at the inlet and exit ports of the device. The platinum wires were deposited between the fluid passages on the perforated plate and are used to measure the temperature at the interface between the wall material and the flowing fluid. The experimental testing demonstrates the ability of the numerical model to accurately predict both the overall performance and the internal temperature distribution of perforated plate heat exchangers over a range of geometry and operating conditions. The parameters that were varied include the axial length, temperature range, mass flow rate, and working fluid.

  13. Quantifying Antimicrobial Resistance at Veal Calf Farms

    PubMed Central

    Bosman, Angela B.; Wagenaar, Jaap; Stegeman, Arjan; Vernooij, Hans; Mevius, Dik

    2012-01-01

    This study was performed to determine a sampling strategy to quantify the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance on veal calf farms, based on the variation in antimicrobial resistance within and between calves on five farms. Faecal samples from 50 healthy calves (10 calves/farm) were collected. From each individual sample and one pooled faecal sample per farm, 90 selected Escherichia coli isolates were tested for their resistance against 25 mg/L amoxicillin, 25 mg/L tetracycline, 0.5 mg/L cefotaxime, 0.125 mg/L ciprofloxacin and 8/152 mg/L trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (tmp/s) by replica plating. From each faecal sample another 10 selected E. coli isolates were tested for their resistance by broth microdilution as a reference. Logistic regression analysis was performed to compare the odds of testing an isolate resistant between both test methods (replica plating vs. broth microdilution) and to evaluate the effect of pooling faecal samples. Bootstrap analysis was used to investigate the precision of the estimated prevalence of resistance to each antimicrobial obtained by several simulated sampling strategies. Replica plating showed similar odds of E. coli isolates tested resistant compared to broth microdilution, except for ciprofloxacin (OR 0.29, p≤0.05). Pooled samples showed in general lower odds of an isolate being resistant compared to individual samples, although these differences were not significant. Bootstrap analysis showed that within each antimicrobial the various compositions of a pooled sample provided consistent estimates for the mean proportion of resistant isolates. Sampling strategies should be based on the variation in resistance among isolates within faecal samples and between faecal samples, which may vary by antimicrobial. In our study, the optimal sampling strategy from the perspective of precision of the estimated levels of resistance and practicality consists of a pooled faecal sample from 20 individual animals, of which 90 isolates are

  14. Titanium carbide bipolar plate for electrochemical devices

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

    LaConti, Anthony B.; Griffith, Arthur E.; Cropley, Cecelia C.

    A corrosion resistant, electrically conductive, non-porous bipolar plate is made from titanium carbide for use in an eletrochemical device. The process involves blending titanium carbide powder with a suitable binder material, and molding the mixture, at an elevated temperature and pressure.

  15. Performance evaluation and characterization of metallic bipolar plates in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hung, Yue

    Bipolar plate and membrane electrode assembly (MEA) are the two most repeated components of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack. Bipolar plates comprise more than 60% of the weight and account for 30% of the total cost of a fuel cell stack. The bipolar plates perform as current conductors between cells, provide conduits for reactant gases, facilitate water and thermal management through the cell, and constitute the backbone of a power stack. In addition, bipolar plates must have excellent corrosion resistance to withstand the highly corrosive environment inside the fuel cell, and they must maintain low interfacial contact resistance throughout the operation to achieve optimum power density output. Currently, commercial bipolar plates are made of graphite composites because of their relatively low interfacial contact resistance (ICR) and high corrosion resistance. However, graphite composite's manufacturability, permeability, and durability for shock and vibration are unfavorable in comparison to metals. Therefore, metals have been considered as a replacement material for graphite composite bipolar plates. Since bipolar plates must possess the combined advantages of both metals and graphite composites in the fuel cell technology, various methods and techniques are being developed to combat metallic corrosion and eliminate the passive layer formed on the metal surface that causes unacceptable power reduction and possible fouling of the catalyst and the electrolyte. The main objective of this study was to explore the possibility of producing efficient, cost-effective and durable metallic bipolar plates that were capable of functioning in the highly corrosive fuel cell environment. Bulk materials such as Poco graphite, graphite composite, SS310, SS316, incoloy 800, titanium carbide and zirconium carbide were investigated as potential bipolar plate materials. In this work, different alloys and compositions of chromium carbide coatings on aluminum and SS316

  16. An experimental study of an explosively driven flat plate launcher

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rae, Philip; Haroz, Erik; Armstrong, Chris; Perry, Lee; M Division Team

    2017-06-01

    For some upcoming experiments it is desired to impact a large explosive assembly with one or more moderate diameter flat metal plates traveling at high velocity (2-3 km s-1). The time of arrival of these plates will need to carefully controlled and delayed (i.e. the time(s) of arrival known to approximately a microsecond). For this reason, producing a flyer plate from more traditional gun assemblies is not possible. Previous researchers have demonstrated the ability to throw reasonably flat metal flyers from the so-called Forest flyer geometry. The defining characteristics of this design are a carefully controlled reduction in explosive area from a larger explosive plane-wave-lens and booster pad to a smaller flyer plate to improve the planarity of the drive available and an air gap between the explosive booster and the plate to reduce the peak tensile stresses generated in the plate to suppress spalling. This experimental series comprised a number of different design variants and plate and explosive drive materials. The aim was to calibrate a predictive computational modeling capability on this kind of system in preparation for later more radical design ideas best tested in a computer before undertaking the expensive business of construction.

  17. Multilayer ultra thick resist development for MEMS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Washio, Yasushi; Senzaki, Takahiro; Masuda, Yasuo; Saito, Koji; Obiya, Hiroyuki

    2005-05-01

    MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) is achieved through a process technology, called Micro-machining. There are two distinct methods to manufacture a MEMS-product. One method is to form permanent film through photolithography, and the other is to form a non-permanent film resist after photolithography proceeded by etch or plating process. The three-dimensional ultra-fine processing technology based on photolithography, and is assembled by processes, such as anode junction, and post lithography processes such as etching and plating. Currently ORDYL PR-100 (Dry Film Type) is used for the permanent resist process. TOK has developed TMMR S2000 (Liquid Type) and TMMF S2000 (Dry Film Type) also. TOK has developed a new process utilizing these resist. The electro-forming method by photolithography is developed as one of the methods for enabling high resolution and high aspect formation. In recent years, it has become possible to manufacture conventionally difficult multilayer through our development with material and equipment project (M&E). As for material for electro-forming, it was checked that chemically amplified resist is optimal from the reaction mechanism as it is easily removed by the clean solution. Moreover, multiple plating formations were enabled with the resist through a new process. As for the equipment, TOK developed Applicator (It can apply 500 or more μms) and Developer, which achieves high throughput and quality. The detailed plating formations, which a path differs, and air wiring are realizable through M&E. From the above results, opposed to metallic mold plating, electro-forming method by resist, enabled to form high resolution and aspect pattern, at low cost. It is thought that the infinite possibility spreads by applying this process.

  18. Computational Model for Impact-Resisting Critical Thickness of High-Speed Machine Outer Protective Plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Huaying; Wang, Li Zhong; Wang, Yantao; Yuan, Xiaolei

    2018-05-01

    The blade or surface grinding blade of the hypervelocity grinding wheel may be damaged due to too high rotation rate of the spindle of the machine and then fly out. Its speed as a projectile may severely endanger the field persons. Critical thickness model of the protective plate of the high-speed machine is studied in this paper. For easy analysis, the shapes of the possible impact objects flying from the high-speed machine are simplified as sharp-nose model, ball-nose model and flat-nose model. Whose front ending shape to represent point, line and surface contacting. Impact analysis based on J-C model is performed for the low-carbon steel plate with different thicknesses in this paper. One critical thickness computational model for the protective plate of high-speed machine is established according to the damage characteristics of the thin plate to get relation among plate thickness and mass, shape and size and impact speed of impact object. The air cannon is used for impact test. The model accuracy is validated. This model can guide identification of the thickness of single-layer outer protective plate of a high-speed machine.

  19. Damage Progression in Buckle-Resistant Notched Composite Plates Loaded in Uniaxial Compression

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McGowan, David M.; Davila, Carlos G.; Ambur, Damodar R.

    2001-01-01

    Results of an experimental and analytical evaluation of damage progression in three stitched composite plates containing an angled central notch and subjected to compression loading are presented. Parametric studies were conducted systematically to identify the relative effects of the material strength parameters on damage initiation and growth. Comparisons with experiments were conducted to determine the appropriate in situ values of strengths for progressive failure analysis. These parametric studies indicated that the in situ value of the fiber buckling strength is the most important parameter in the prediction of damage initiation and growth in these notched composite plates. Analyses of the damage progression in the notched, compression-loaded plates were conducted using in situ material strengths. Comparisons of results obtained from these analyses with experimental results for displacements and axial strains show good agreement.

  20. Tunable THz notch filter with a single groove inside parallel-plate waveguides.

    PubMed

    Lee, Eui Su; Jeon, Tae-In

    2012-12-31

    A single groove in a parallel-plate waveguide (PPWG) has been applied to a tunable terahertz (THz) notch filter with a transverse-electromagnetic (TEM) mode. When the air gap between the metal plates of the PPWG is controlled from 60 to 240 μm using a motor controlled translation stage or a piezo-actuator, the resonant frequency of the notch filter is changed from 1.75 up to 0.62 THz, respectively. Therefore, the measured tunable sensitivity of the notch filter increases to 6.28 GHz/μm. The measured resonant frequencies were found to be in good agreement with the calculation using an effective groove depth. Using a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation, we also demonstrate that the sensitivity of a THz microfluidic sensor can be increased via a small air gap, a narrow groove width, and a deep groove depth.

  1. Impact and Blast Resistance of Sandwich Plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dvorak, George J.; Bahei-El-Din, Yehia A.; Suvorov, Alexander P.

    Response of conventional and modified sandwich plate designs is examined under static load, impact by a rigid cylindrical or flat indenter, and during and after an exponential pressure impulse lasting for 0.05 ms, at peak pressure of 100 MPa, simulating a nearby explosion. The conventional sandwich design consists of thin outer (loaded side) and inner facesheets made of carbon/epoxy fibrous laminates, separated by a thick layer of structural foam core. In the three modified designs, one or two thin ductile interlayers are inserted between the outer facesheet and the foam core. Materials selected for the interlayers are a hyperelas-tic rate-independent polyurethane;a compression strain and strain rate dependent, elastic-plastic polyurea;and an elastomeric foam. ABAQUS and LS-Dyna software were used in various response simulations. Performance comparisons between the enhanced and conventional designs show that the modified designs provide much better protection against different damage modes under both load regimes. After impact, local facesheet deflection, core compression, and energy release rate of delamination cracks, which may extend on hidden interfaces between facesheet and core, are all reduced. Under blast or impulse loads, reductions have been observed in the extent of core crushing, facesheet delaminations and vibration amplitudes, and in overall deflections. Similar reductions were found in the kinetic energy and in the stored and dissipated strain energy. Although strain rates as high as 10-4/s1 are produced by the blast pressure, peak strains in the interlayers were too low to raise the flow stress in the polyurea to that in the polyurethane, where a possible rate-dependent response was neglected. Therefore, stiff polyurethane or hard rubber interlayers materials should be used for protection of sandwich plate foam cores against both impact and blast-induced damage.

  2. Interlaced zone plate optics for hard X-ray imaging in the 10 nm range

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohacsi, Istvan; Vartiainen, Ismo; Rösner, Benedikt; Guizar-Sicairos, Manuel; Guzenko, Vitaliy A.; McNulty, Ian; Winarski, Robert; Holt, Martin V.; David, Christian

    2017-03-01

    Multi-keV X-ray microscopy has been particularly successful in bridging the resolution gap between optical and electron microscopy. However, resolutions below 20 nm are still considered challenging, as high throughput direct imaging methods are limited by the availability of suitable optical elements. In order to bridge this gap, we present a new type of Fresnel zone plate lenses aimed at the sub-20 and the sub-10 nm resolution range. By extending the concept of double-sided zone plate stacking, we demonstrate the doubling of the effective line density and thus the resolution and provide large aperture, singlechip optical devices with 15 and 7 nm smallest zone widths. The detailed characterization of these lenses shows excellent optical properties with focal spots down to 7.8 nm. Beyond wave front characterization, the zone plates also excel in typical imaging scenarios, verifying their resolution close to their diffraction limited optical performance.

  3. Interlaced zone plate optics for hard X-ray imaging in the 10 nm range

    PubMed Central

    Mohacsi, Istvan; Vartiainen, Ismo; Rösner, Benedikt; Guizar-Sicairos, Manuel; Guzenko, Vitaliy A.; McNulty, Ian; Winarski, Robert; Holt, Martin V.; David, Christian

    2017-01-01

    Multi-keV X-ray microscopy has been particularly successful in bridging the resolution gap between optical and electron microscopy. However, resolutions below 20 nm are still considered challenging, as high throughput direct imaging methods are limited by the availability of suitable optical elements. In order to bridge this gap, we present a new type of Fresnel zone plate lenses aimed at the sub-20 and the sub-10 nm resolution range. By extending the concept of double-sided zone plate stacking, we demonstrate the doubling of the effective line density and thus the resolution and provide large aperture, singlechip optical devices with 15 and 7 nm smallest zone widths. The detailed characterization of these lenses shows excellent optical properties with focal spots down to 7.8 nm. Beyond wave front characterization, the zone plates also excel in typical imaging scenarios, verifying their resolution close to their diffraction limited optical performance.

  4. Spin Qubits in Germanium Structures with Phononic Gap

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smelyanskiy, V. N.; Vasko, F. T.; Hafiychuk, V. V.; Dykman, M. I.; Petukhov, A. G.

    2014-01-01

    We propose qubits based on shallow donor electron spins in germanium structures with phononic gap. We consider a phononic crystal formed by periodic holes in Ge plate or a rigid cover / Ge layer / rigid substrate structure with gaps approximately a few GHz. The spin relaxation is suppressed dramatically, if the Zeeman frequency omegaZ is in the phononic gap, but an effective coupling between the spins of remote donors via exchange of virtual phonons remains essential. If omegaZ approaches to a gap edge in these structures, a long-range (limited by detuning of omegaZ) resonant exchange interaction takes place. We estimate that ratio of the exchange integral to the longitudinal relaxation rate exceeds 10(exp 5) and lateral scale of resonant exchange 0.1 mm. The exchange contribution can be verified under microwave pumping through oscillations of spin echo signal or through the differential absorption measurements. Efficient manipulation of spins due to the Rabi oscillations opens a new way for quantum information applications.

  5. Brazed bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells

    DOEpatents

    Neutzler, Jay Kevin

    1998-01-01

    A liquid-cooled, bipolar plate separating adjacent cells of a PEM fuel cell comprising corrosion-resistant metal sheets brazed together so as to provide a passage between the sheets through which a dielectric coolant flows. The brazement comprises a metal which is substantially insoluble in the coolant.

  6. Experimental investigation on the dynamic response of clamped corrugated sandwich plates subjected to underwater impulsive loadings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Wei; Zhang, Wei; Li, Dacheng; Hypervelocity Impact Research Center Team

    2015-06-01

    Corrugated sandwich plates are widely used in marine industry because such plates have high strength-to-weight ratios and blast resistance. The laboratory-scaled fluid-structure interaction experiments are performed to demonstrate the shock resistance of solid monolithic plates and corrugated sandwich plates by quantifying the permanent transverse deflection at mid-span of the plates as a function of impulsive loadings per areal mass. Sandwich structures with 6mm-thick and 10mm-thick 3003 aluminum corrugated core and 5A06 face sheets are compared with the 5A06 solid monolithic plates in this paper. The dynamic deformation of plates are captured with the the 3D digital speckle correlation method (DIC). The results affirm that sandwich structures show a 30% reduction in the maximum plate deflection compare with a monolithic plate of identical mass per unit area, and the peak value of deflection effectively reduced by increasing the thickness core. The failure modes of sandwich plates consists of core crushing, imprinting, stretch tearing of face sheets, bending and permanent deformation of entire structure with the increasing impulsive loads, and the failure mechanisms are analyzed with the postmortem panels and dynamic deflection history captured by cameras. National Natural Science Foundation of China (NO.: 11372088).

  7. Three-dimensional Numerical Models of the Cocos-northern Nazca Slab Gap

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jadamec, M.; Fischer, K. M.

    2012-12-01

    In contrast to anisotropy beneath the middle of oceanic plates, seismic observations in subduction zones often indicate mantle flow patterns that are not easily explained by simple coupling of the subducting and overriding plates to the mantle. For example, in the Costa Rica-Nicaragua subduction zone local S shear wave splitting measurements combined with geochemical data indicate trench parallel flow in the mantle wedge with flow rates of 6.3-19 cm/yr, which is on order of or may be up to twice the subducting plate velocity. We construct geographically referenced high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) geodynamic models of the Cocos-northern Nazca subduction system to investigate what is driving the northwest directed, and apparently rapid, trench-parallel flow in the mantle wedge beneath Costa Rica-Nicaragua. We use the SlabGenerator code to construct a 3D plate configuration that is used as input to the community mantle convection code, CitcomCU. Models are run on over 400 CPUs on XSEDE, with a mesh resolution of up to 3 km at the plate boundary. Seismicity and seismic tomography delineate the shape and depth of the Cocos and northern Nazca slabs. The subducting plate thermal structure is based on a plate cooling model and ages from the seafloor age grid. Overriding plate thickness is constrained by the ages from the sea floor age grid where available and the depth to the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary from the greatest negative gradient in absolute shear wave velocity. The geodynamic models test the relative controls of the change in the dip of the Cocos plate and the slab gap between the Cocos and northern Nazca plates in driving the mantle flow beneath Central America. The models also investigate the effect of a non-Newtonian rheology in dynamically generating a low viscosity mantle wedge and how this controls mantle flow rates. To what extent the Cocos-northern Nazca slab gap channelizes mantle flow between Central and South America has direct application

  8. Improving wettability of photo-resistive film surface with plasma surface modification for coplanar copper pillar plating of IC substrates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiang, Jing; Wang, Chong; Chen, Yuanming; Wang, Shouxu; Hong, Yan; Zhang, Huaiwu; Gong, Lijun; He, Wei

    2017-07-01

    The wettability of the photo-resistive film (PF) surfaces undergoing different pretreatments including the O2sbnd CF4 low-pressure plasma (OCLP) and air plasma (AP), is investigated by water contact angle measurement instrument (WCAMI) before the bottom-up copper pillar plating. Chemical groups analysis performed by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) shows that after the OCLP and wash treatment, the wettability of PF surface is attenuated, because embedded fluorine and decreased oxygen content both enhance hydrophobicity. Compared with OCLP treatment, the PF surface treatment by non-toxic air plasma displays features of Csbnd O, Osbnd Cdbnd O, Cdbnd O and sbnd NO2 by AIR-FTIR and XPS, and a promoted wettability by WCAM. Under the identical electroplating condition, the surface with a better wettability allows electrolyte to spontaneously soak all the places of vias, resulting in improved copper pillar uniformity. Statistical analysis of metallographic data shows that more coplanar and flat copper pillars are achieved with the PF treatment of air plasma. Such modified copper-pillar-plating technology meets the requirement of accurate impedance, the high density interconnection for IC substrates.

  9. Brazed bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells

    DOEpatents

    Neutzler, J.K.

    1998-07-07

    A liquid-cooled, bipolar plate separating adjacent cells of a PEM fuel cell comprises corrosion-resistant metal sheets brazed together so as to provide a passage between the sheets through which a dielectric coolant flows. The brazement comprises a metal which is substantially insoluble in the coolant. 6 figs.

  10. Optimization of the performance of a tandem microchannel plate detector as a function of interplate spacing and voltage

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rogers, D.; Malina, R. F.

    1982-01-01

    The effect of varying the size of the gap voltage and spacing on the performance of a tandem pair of microchannel plates (MCP) is investigated. Results show that increasing the voltage in the gap increases the gain of the pair and also produces a narrower Gaussian pulse-height distribution, although beyond a critical voltage the gain of the channel plate pair is found to plateau. A model is developed which explains the nonlinear gain behavior of individual microchannels and the behavior of the electron cloud emitted from the first MCP as it spreads out between the two MCPs and hits the surface of the second. The model calculates the plateau voltage as a function of the gap size, the gain of each MCP, and the diameter of the channels, and is found to show good agreement with the observed results. It is concluded that interplate gaps of up to several millimeters can be accommodated without a significant degradation in pulse-height distribution.

  11. Energy loss in spark gap switches

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

    Oreshkin, V. I., E-mail: oreshkin@ovpe.hcei.tsc.ru; Lavrinovich, I. V.; National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Lenin Avenue 30, 634050 Tomsk

    2014-04-15

    The paper reports on numerical study of the energy loss in spark gap switches. The operation of the switches is analyzed using the Braginsky model which allows calculation of the time dependence of the spark channel resistance. The Braginsky equation is solved simultaneously with generator circuit equations for different load types. Based on the numerical solutions, expressions which determine both the energy released in a spark gap switch and the switching time are derived.

  12. Spark gap switch with spiral gas flow

    DOEpatents

    Brucker, John P.

    1989-01-01

    A spark gap switch having a contaminate removal system using an injected gas. An annular plate concentric with an electrode of the switch defines flow paths for the injected gas which form a strong spiral flow of the gas in the housing which is effective to remove contaminates from the switch surfaces. The gas along with the contaminates is exhausted from the housing through one of the ends of the switch.

  13. Contributions of retinal input and phenomenal representation of a fixation object to the saccadic gap effect.

    PubMed

    Ueda, Hiroshi; Takahashi, Kohske; Watanabe, Katsumi

    2013-04-19

    The saccadic "gap effect" refers to a phenomenon whereby saccadic reaction times (SRTs) are shortened by the removal of a visual fixation stimulus prior to target presentation. In the current study, we investigated whether the gap effect was influenced by retinal input of a fixation stimulus, as well as phenomenal permanence and/or expectation of the re-emergence of a fixation stimulus. In Experiment 1, we used an occluded fixation stimulus that was gradually hidden by a moving plate prior to the target presentation, which produced the impression that the fixation stimulus still remained and would reappear from behind the plate. We found that the gap effect was significantly weakened with the occluded fixation stimulus. However, the SRT with the occluded fixation stimulus was still shorter in comparison to when the fixation stimulus physically remained on the screen. In Experiment 2, we investigated whether this effect was due to phenomenal maintenance or expectation of the reappearance of the fixation stimulus; this was achieved by using occluding plates that were an identical color to the background screen, giving the impression of reappearance of the fixation stimulus but not of its maintenance. The result showed that the gap effect was still weakened by the same degree even without phenomenal maintenance of the fixation stimulus. These results suggest that the saccadic gap effect is modulated by both retinal input and subjective expectation of re-emergence of the fixation stimulus. In addition to oculomotor mechanisms, other components, such as attentional mechanisms, likely contribute to facilitation of the subsequent action. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Effect of the Tin- versus Air-side Plate-glass Orientation on the Impact Response and Penetration Resistance of a Laminated Transparent Armour Structure

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-01-16

    January 2012 2012 226:Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part L: Journal of Materials Design and Applications M Grujicic, W C Bell...unclassified c . THIS PAGE unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 Effect of the tin- versus air-side plate-glass...orientation on the impact response and penetration resistance of a laminated transparent armour structure M Grujicic1*, W C Bell1, B Pandurangan1, B

  15. Optimization of air gap for two-dimensional imaging system using synchrotron radiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zeniya, Tsutomu; Takeda, Tohoru; Yu, Quanwen; Hyodo, Kazuyuki; Yuasa, Tetsuya; Aiyoshi, Yuji; Hiranaka, Yukio; Itai, Yuji; Akatsuka, Takao

    2000-11-01

    Since synchrotron radiation (SR) has several excellent properties such as high brilliance, broad continuous energy spectrum and small divergence, we can obtain x-ray images with high contrast and high spatial resolution by using of SR. In 2D imaging using SR, air gap method is very effective to reduce the scatter contamination. However, to use air gap method, the geometrical effect of finite source size of SR must be considered because spatial resolution of image is degraded by air gap. For 2D x-ray imaging with SR, x-ray mammography was chosen to examine the effect of air gap method. We theoretically discussed the optimization of air gap distance suing effective scatter point source model proposed by Muntz, and executed experiment with a newly manufactured monochromator with asymmetrical reflection and an imaging plate.

  16. Energy-gap spectroscopy of superconductors using a tunneling microscope

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Le Duc, H. G.; Kaiser, W. J.; Stern, J. A.

    1987-01-01

    A unique scanning tunneling microscope (STM) system has been developed for spectroscopy of the superconducting energy gap. High-resolution control of tunnel current and voltage allows for measurement of superconducting properties at tunnel resistance levels 100-1000 greater than that achieved in prior work. The previously used STM methods for superconductor spectroscopy are compared to those developed for the work reported here. Superconducting energy-gap spectra are reported for three superconductors, Pb, PbBi, and NbN, over a range of tunnel resistance. The measured spectra are compared directly to theory.

  17. Microchannel plate detector and methods for their fabrication

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

    Elam, Jeffrey W.; Mane, Anil U.; Peng, Qing

    A multi-component tunable resistive coating and methods of depositing the coating on the surfaces of a microchannel plate (MCP) detector. The resistive coating composed of a plurality of alternating layers of a metal oxide resistive component layer and a conductive component layer composed of at least one of a metal, a metal nitride and a metal sulfide. The coating may further include an emissive layer configured to produce a secondary electron emission in response to a particle interacting with the MCP and a neutron-absorbing layer configured to respond to a neutron interacting with the MCP.

  18. A study of degradation of plates for nickel-cadmium spacecraft cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Scott, W. R.

    1974-01-01

    The relative merits of coining and not coining of sintered nickel oxide and cadmium plates was investigated. Sample plate materials from most commercial cell suppliers were obtained and characterized for properties that may correlate with the tendency toward physical disintegration during handling and over long periods of time in the cell. Special test methods were developed to obtain comparative data in a short time. A wide range of physical properties and coining thickness was observed, resulting in a range of responses. The stronger materials resisted loss of sinter better than weaker materials whether or not coined. Coining improved handling and resistance to electrochemical cycling of weaker materials. The mechanism of break-down of positive plate edges under cycling appears to be the same as that of thickening and blistering. Brittle, nonadherent sinter, resulting from certain impregnation processes, is the most vulnerable to degradation. It is concluded that the latter type of materials should be coined, but coining of strong materials is optional.

  19. Corrosion-resistant uranium

    DOEpatents

    Hovis, V.M. Jr.; Pullen, W.C.; Kollie, T.G.; Bell, R.T.

    1981-10-21

    The present invention is directed to the protecting of uranium and uranium alloy articles from corrosion by providing the surfaces of the articles with a layer of an ion-plated metal selected from aluminum and zinc to a thickness of at least 60 microinches and then converting at least the outer surface of the ion-plated layer of aluminum or zinc to aluminum chromate or zinc chromate. This conversion of the aluminum or zinc to the chromate form considerably enhances the corrosion resistance of the ion plating so as to effectively protect the coated article from corrosion.

  20. Corrosion-resistant uranium

    DOEpatents

    Hovis, Jr., Victor M.; Pullen, William C.; Kollie, Thomas G.; Bell, Richard T.

    1983-01-01

    The present invention is directed to the protecting of uranium and uranium alloy articles from corrosion by providing the surfaces of the articles with a layer of an ion-plated metal selected from aluminum and zinc to a thickness of at least 60 microinches and then converting at least the outer surface of the ion-plated layer of aluminum or zinc to aluminum chromate or zinc chromate. This conversion of the aluminum or zinc to the chromate form considerably enhances the corrosion resistance of the ion plating so as to effectively protect the coated article from corrosion.

  1. Population Screening Using Sewage Reveals Pan-Resistant Bacteria in Hospital and Community Samples.

    PubMed

    Meir-Gruber, Lital; Manor, Yossi; Gefen-Halevi, Shiraz; Hindiyeh, Musa Y; Mileguir, Fernando; Azar, Roberto; Smollan, Gill; Belausov, Natasha; Rahav, Galia; Shamiss, Ari; Mendelson, Ella; Keller, Nathan

    2016-01-01

    The presence of pan-resistant bacteria worldwide possesses a threat to global health. It is difficult to evaluate the extent of carriage of resistant bacteria in the population. Sewage sampling is a possible way to monitor populations. We evaluated the presence of pan-resistant bacteria in Israeli sewage collected from all over Israel, by modifying the pour plate method for heterotrophic plate count technique using commercial selective agar plates. This method enables convenient and fast sewage sampling and detection. We found that sewage in Israel contains multiple pan-resistant bacteria including carbapenemase resistant Enterobacteriacae carrying blaKPC and blaNDM-1, MRSA and VRE. blaKPC carrying Klebsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter cloacae were the most common Enterobacteriacae drug resistant bacteria found in the sewage locations we sampled. Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter spp., Escherichia coli and Citrobacter spp. were the 4 main CRE isolated from Israeli sewage and also from clinical samples in our clinical microbiology laboratory. Hospitals and Community sewage had similar percentage of positive samplings for blaKPC and blaNDM-1. VRE was found to be more abundant in sewage in Israel than MRSA but there were more locations positive for MRSA and VRE bacteria in Hospital sewage than in the Community. Therefore, our upgrade of the pour plate method for heterotrophic plate count technique using commercial selective agar plates can be a useful tool for routine screening and monitoring of the population for pan-resistant bacteria using sewage.

  2. Population Screening Using Sewage Reveals Pan-Resistant Bacteria in Hospital and Community Samples

    PubMed Central

    Mileguir, Fernando; Azar, Roberto; Smollan, Gill; Belausov, Natasha; Rahav, Galia; Shamiss, Ari; Mendelson, Ella; Keller, Nathan

    2016-01-01

    The presence of pan-resistant bacteria worldwide possesses a threat to global health. It is difficult to evaluate the extent of carriage of resistant bacteria in the population. Sewage sampling is a possible way to monitor populations. We evaluated the presence of pan-resistant bacteria in Israeli sewage collected from all over Israel, by modifying the pour plate method for heterotrophic plate count technique using commercial selective agar plates. This method enables convenient and fast sewage sampling and detection. We found that sewage in Israel contains multiple pan-resistant bacteria including carbapenemase resistant Enterobacteriacae carrying blaKPC and blaNDM-1, MRSA and VRE. blaKPC carrying Klebsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter cloacae were the most common Enterobacteriacae drug resistant bacteria found in the sewage locations we sampled. Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter spp., Escherichia coli and Citrobacter spp. were the 4 main CRE isolated from Israeli sewage and also from clinical samples in our clinical microbiology laboratory. Hospitals and Community sewage had similar percentage of positive samplings for blaKPC and blaNDM-1. VRE was found to be more abundant in sewage in Israel than MRSA but there were more locations positive for MRSA and VRE bacteria in Hospital sewage than in the Community. Therefore, our upgrade of the pour plate method for heterotrophic plate count technique using commercial selective agar plates can be a useful tool for routine screening and monitoring of the population for pan-resistant bacteria using sewage. PMID:27780222

  3. Motion of the Rivera plate since 10 Ma relative to the Pacific and North American plates and the mantle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    DeMets, Charles; Traylen, Stephen

    2000-03-01

    .6 to 1.0 Ma along the entire plate boundary, followed by a resumption of trench-normal subduction along the southern half of the Rivera-North America plate boundary after 1.0 Ma. Motion of the Rivera plate relative to the underlying mantle since 10 Ma has oscillated between periods of landward motion and seaward motion. The evidence suggests that the torque exerted by slab pull on this young and hot oceanic plate is either minimal or is effectively counterbalanced by forces that resist its motion.

  4. Associations of chemo- and radio-resistant phenotypes with the gap junction, adhesion and extracellular matrix in a three-dimensional culture model of soft sarcoma.

    PubMed

    Bai, Chujie; Yang, Min; Fan, Zhengfu; Li, Shu; Gao, Tian; Fang, Zhiwei

    2015-06-10

    Three-dimensional (3D) culture models are considered to recapitulate the cell microenvironment in solid tumors, including the extracellular matrix (ECM), cell-cell interactions, and signal transduction. These functions are highly correlated with cellular behaviors and contribute to resistances against chemo- and radio-therapies. However, the biochemical effects and mechanisms remain unknown in soft sarcoma. Therefore, we developed an in vitro 3D model of sarcoma to analyze the reasons of the chemo- and radio-resistance in therapies. Four soft sarcoma cell lines, HT1080, RD, SW872, and human osteosarcoma cell line 1 (HOSS1), a cell line established from a patient-derived xenograft, were applied to 3D culture and treated with growth factors in methylcellulose-containing medium. Spheroids were examined morphologically and by western blotting, RT-qPCR, and immunofluorescence staining to analyze cell adhesion, gap junctions, ECM genes, and related factors. Proliferation and colony formation assays were performed to assess chemo- and radio-resistances between 3D and two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures. Annexin V and Propidium Iodide staining was used to detect early apoptotic sarcoma cells treated with Doxorubicin, Gemcitabine, and Docetaxel in the 3D model. The four soft sarcoma cell lines formed spheres in vitro by culture in modified condition medium. Compared with 2D cell culture, expression of ECM genes and proteins, including COL1A1, LOX, SED1, FN1, and LAMA4, was significantly increased in 3D culture. Analysis of cadherin and gap junction molecules showed significant changes in the gene and protein expression profiles under 3D conditions. These changes affected cell-cell communication and were mainly associated with biological processes such as cell proliferation and apoptosis related to chemo- and radio-resistances. Our findings revealed significant differences between 3D and 2D cell culture systems, and indicated that cellular responsiveness to external stress

  5. The dynamics of plate tectonics and mantle flow: from local to global scales.

    PubMed

    Stadler, Georg; Gurnis, Michael; Burstedde, Carsten; Wilcox, Lucas C; Alisic, Laura; Ghattas, Omar

    2010-08-27

    Plate tectonics is regulated by driving and resisting forces concentrated at plate boundaries, but observationally constrained high-resolution models of global mantle flow remain a computational challenge. We capitalized on advances in adaptive mesh refinement algorithms on parallel computers to simulate global mantle flow by incorporating plate motions, with individual plate margins resolved down to a scale of 1 kilometer. Back-arc extension and slab rollback are emergent consequences of slab descent in the upper mantle. Cold thermal anomalies within the lower mantle couple into oceanic plates through narrow high-viscosity slabs, altering the velocity of oceanic plates. Viscous dissipation within the bending lithosphere at trenches amounts to approximately 5 to 20% of the total dissipation through the entire lithosphere and mantle.

  6. Surface dose measurements from air gaps under a bolus by using a MOSFET dosimeter in clinical oblique photon beams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chung, Jin-Beom; Kim, Jae-Sung; Kim, In-Ah; Lee, Jeong-Woo

    2012-10-01

    This study is intended to investigate the effects of surface dose from air gaps under the bolus in clinically used oblique photon beams by using a Markus parallel-plate chamber and a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) dosimeter. To evaluate the performances of the two detectors, the percentage surface doses of the MOSFET dosimeters in without an air gap under the bolus material were measured and compared with those of the Markus parallel-plate chamber. MOSFET dosimeters at the surface provided results mostly in good agreement with the parallelplate chamber. The MOSFET dosimeters seemed suitable for surface dose measurements having excellent accuracy for clinical used photon beams. The relative surface doses were measured with air gaps (2, 5, 10 mm) and without an air gap under 3 different bolus setups: (1) unbolused (no bolus), (2) 5-mm bolus, and (3) 10-mm bolus. The reductions in the surface dose substantially increased with small field size, thick bolus, and large air gap. The absolute difference in the reductions of the surface dose between the MOSFET dosimeter and the Markus parallel-plate chamber was less than 1.1%. Results at oblique angles of incidence showed larger reductions in surface dose with increasing angle of incidence. The largest reduction in surface dose was recorded for a 6 × 6 cm2 field at a 60° angle of incidence with an 10-mm air gap under a 10-mm bolus. When a 10-mm bolus was used, a reduction in the surface dose with an air gap of up to 10.5% could be achieved by varying the field size and the incident angle. Therefore, air gaps under the bolus should be avoided in radiotherapy treatment, especially for photon beam with highly oblique angles of incidence.

  7. Results of a magnetotelluric traverse across western Oregon: crustal resistivity structure and the subduction of the Juan de Fuca plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Waff, Harve S.; Rygh, John T.; Livelybrooks, Dean W.; Clingman, William W.

    1988-02-01

    As part of project EMSLAB, we have collected and analysed wideband magnetotelluric data along an east-west transect in western Oregon. Preliminary modelling of the data using one-dimensional inversions based upon rotationally-invariant earth response functions was followed by finite-element two-dimensional modelling. The models produced indicate the presence of an electrical conductor beneath the Oregon Coast Range dipping eastward at 12-18° from a depth of 23-32 km. We believe that this conductor includes the thrust surface of the subducting Juan de Fuca plate and/or adjacent water-saturated rocks. Its high conductance (about 200 S) is thought to be due to one or more of the following mechanisms: (1) sediments subducted atop and with the Juan de Fuca plate, (2) saline fluids produced by dehydration of the former, or (3) seawater contained within subducted oceanic basalts. There is a distinct possibility that the high conductivity is due primarily to the presence of subducted sediments, in contrast with the notion that the subduction of young, buoyant lithosphere retards sediment subduction at this convergent margin. The conductive layer is overlain by relatively resistive rocks presumed to be accreted oceanic lithosphere. Model-determined resistivities for the upper part of the Coast Range section are in good agreement with deep well-log data. A strong electrical contrast appears in the determinant phase pseudosection between the Coast Range and the Willamette Valley suggesting a structural boundary between the two provinces. A surficial conductor is present in the valley to depths of 1-2 km and is due to alluvial fill. Induction arrow data show the geomagnetic coast effect and a smaller effect by the Willamette Valley alluvial fill.

  8. RanGAP1 is a continuous marker of the Arabidopsis cell division plane

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Xianfeng Morgan; Zhao, Qiao; Rodrigo-Peiris, Thushani; Brkljacic, Jelena; He, Chao Sylvia; Müller, Sabine; Meier, Iris

    2008-01-01

    In higher plants, the plane of cell division is faithfully predicted by the preprophase band (PPB). The PPB, a cortical ring of microtubules and F-actin, disassembles upon nuclear-envelope breakdown. During cytokinesis, the expanding cell plate fuses with the plasma membrane at the cortical division site, the site of the former PPB. The nature of the “molecular memory” that is left behind by the PPB and is proposed to guide the cell plate to the cortical division site is unknown. RanGAP is the GTPase activating protein of the small GTPase Ran, which provides spatial information for nucleocytoplasmic transport and various mitotic processes in animals. Here, we show that, in dividing root cells, Arabidopsis RanGAP1 concentrates at the PPB and remains associated with the cortical division site during mitosis and cytokinesis, requiring its N-terminal targeting domain. In a fass/ton2 mutant, which affects PPB formation, RanGAP1 recruitment to the PPB site is lost, while its PPB retention is microtubule-independent. RanGAP1 persistence at the cortical division site, but not its initial accumulation at the PPB requires the 2 cytokinesis-regulating kinesins POK1 and POK2. Depletion of RanGAP by inducible RNAi leads to oblique cell walls and cell-wall stubs in root cell files, consistent with cytokinesis defects. We propose that Arabidopsis RanGAP, a continuous positive protein marker of the plant division plane, has a role in spatial signaling during plant cell division. PMID:19011093

  9. Evaluation of coated metallic bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yoon, Wonseok; Huang, Xinyu; Fazzino, Paul; Reifsnider, Kenneth L.; Akkaoui, Michael A.

    Metallic bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells typically require coatings for corrosion protection. Other requirements for the corrosion protective coatings include low electrical contact resistance, good mechanical robustness, low material and fabrication cost. The authors have evaluated a number of protective coatings deposited on stainless steel substrates by electroplating and physical vapor deposition (PVD) methods. The coatings are screened with an electrochemical polarization test for corrosion resistance; then the contact resistance test was performed on selected coatings. The coating investigated include Gold with various thicknesses (2 nm, 10 nm, and 1 μm), Titanium, Zirconium, Zirconium Nitride (ZrN), Zirconium Niobium (ZrNb), and Zirconium Nitride with a Gold top layer (ZrNAu). The substrates include three types of stainless steel: 304, 310, and 316. The results show that Zr-coated samples satisfy the DOE target for corrosion resistance at both anode and cathode sides in typical PEM fuel cell environments in the short-term, but they do not meet the DOE contact resistance goal. Very thin gold coating (2 nm) can significantly decrease the electrical contact resistance, however a relatively thick gold coating (>10 nm) with our deposition method is necessary for adequate corrosion resistance, particularly for the cathode side of the bipolar plate.

  10. A novel method for characterizing the impact response of functionally graded plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Larson, Reid A.

    Functionally graded material (FGM) plates are advanced composites with properties that vary continuously through the thickness of the plate. Metal-ceramic FGM plates have been proposed for use in thermal protection systems where a metal-rich interior surface of the plate gradually transitions to a ceramic-rich exterior surface of the plate. The ability of FGMs to resist impact loads must be demonstrated before using them in high-temperature environments in service. This dissertation presents a novel technique by which the impact response of FGM plates is characterized for low-velocity, low- to medium-energy impact loads. An experiment was designed where strain histories in FGM plates were collected during impact events. These strain histories were used to validate a finite element simulation of the test. A parameter estimation technique was developed to estimate local material properties in the anisotropic, non-homogenous FGM plates to optimize the finite element simulations. The optimized simulations captured the physics of the impact events. The method allows research & design engineers to make informed decisions necessary to implement FGM plates in aerospace platforms.

  11. Novel Structured Metal Bipolar Plates for Low Cost Manufacturing

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

    Wang, Conghua

    2013-08-15

    Bipolar plates are an important component in fuel cell stacks and accounts for more than 75% of stack weight and volume, and 20% of the stack cost. The technology development of metal bipolar plates can effectively reduce the fuel cells stack weight and volume over 50%. The challenge is to protect metal plate from corrosion at low cost for the broad commercial applications. While most of today’s PEM fuel cell metallic bipolar plate technologies use some precious metal, the focus of this SBIR project is to develop a low cost, novel nano-structured metal bipolar plate technology without using any preciousmore » metal. The technology will meet the performance and cost requirements for automobile applications. Through the Phase I project, TreadStone has identified the corrosion resistant and electrically conductive titanium oxide for the metal bipolar plate surface protection for automotive PEM fuel cell applications. TreadStone has overcome the manufacturing issues to apply the coating on metal substrate surface, and has demonstrated the feasibility of the coated stainless steel plates by ex-situ evaluation tests and the in-situ fuel cell long term durability test. The test results show the feasibility of the proposed nano-structured coating as the low cost metal bipolar plates of PEM fuel cells. The plan for further technology optimization is also outlined for the Phase II project.« less

  12. MEMS closed-loop control incorporating a memristor as feedback sensing element

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

    Garcia, Ernest J.; Almeida, Sergio F.; Mireles, Jr., Jose

    In this work the integration of a memristor with a MEMS parallel plate capacitor coupled by an amplification stage is simulated. It is shown that the MEMS upper plate position can be controlled up to 95% of the total gap. Due to its common operation principle, the change in the MEMS plate position can be interpreted by the change in the memristor resistance, or memristance. A memristance modulation of ~1 KΩ was observed. A polynomial expression representing the MEMS upper plate displacement as a function of the memristance is presented. Thereafter a simple design for a voltage closed-loop control ismore » presented showing that the MEMS upper plate can be stabilized up to 95% of the total gap using the memristor as a feedback sensing element. As a result, the memristor can play important dual roles in overcoming the limited operation range of MEMS parallel plate capacitors and in simplifying read-out circuits of those devices by representing the motion of the upper plate in the form of resistance change instead of capacitance change.« less

  13. MEMS closed-loop control incorporating a memristor as feedback sensing element

    DOE PAGES

    Garcia, Ernest J.; Almeida, Sergio F.; Mireles, Jr., Jose; ...

    2015-12-01

    In this work the integration of a memristor with a MEMS parallel plate capacitor coupled by an amplification stage is simulated. It is shown that the MEMS upper plate position can be controlled up to 95% of the total gap. Due to its common operation principle, the change in the MEMS plate position can be interpreted by the change in the memristor resistance, or memristance. A memristance modulation of ~1 KΩ was observed. A polynomial expression representing the MEMS upper plate displacement as a function of the memristance is presented. Thereafter a simple design for a voltage closed-loop control ismore » presented showing that the MEMS upper plate can be stabilized up to 95% of the total gap using the memristor as a feedback sensing element. As a result, the memristor can play important dual roles in overcoming the limited operation range of MEMS parallel plate capacitors and in simplifying read-out circuits of those devices by representing the motion of the upper plate in the form of resistance change instead of capacitance change.« less

  14. Evaluation of Granada agar plate for detection of Streptococcus agalactiae in urine specimens from pregnant women.

    PubMed

    Tamayo, Javier; Gómez-Garcés, José-Luis; Alós, Juan-Ignacio

    2004-08-01

    The Granada agar plate (GAP; Biomedics SL, Madrid, Spain) was evaluated for the detection of group B streptococci (GBS) in urine specimens from pregnant women submitted for testing for asymptomatic bacteriuria and was compared with blood agar (BA [Columbia agar with 5% sheep blood]; bioMérieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France). The GAP detected 103 out of 105 GBS, whereas BA detected only 50. Use of the GAP could be a good method for the detection of GBS in urine specimens from pregnant women.

  15. Virtual gap dielectric wall accelerator

    DOEpatents

    Caporaso, George James; Chen, Yu-Jiuan; Nelson, Scott; Sullivan, Jim; Hawkins, Steven A

    2013-11-05

    A virtual, moving accelerating gap is formed along an insulating tube in a dielectric wall accelerator (DWA) by locally controlling the conductivity of the tube. Localized voltage concentration is thus achieved by sequential activation of a variable resistive tube or stalk down the axis of an inductive voltage adder, producing a "virtual" traveling wave along the tube. The tube conductivity can be controlled at a desired location, which can be moved at a desired rate, by light illumination, or by photoconductive switches, or by other means. As a result, an impressed voltage along the tube appears predominantly over a local region, the virtual gap. By making the length of the tube large in comparison to the virtual gap length, the effective gain of the accelerator can be made very large.

  16. Marine forearc tectonics in the unbroken segment of the Northern Chile seismic gap

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Geersen, J.; Behrmann, J.; Ranero, C. R.; Klaucke, I.; Kopp, H.; Lange, D.; Barckhausen, U.; Reichert, C. J.; Diaz-Naveas, J.

    2016-12-01

    While clearly occurring within the well-defined Northern Chile seismic gap, the 2014 Mw. 8.1 Iquique Earthquake only ruptured part of this gap, leaving large and possibly highly coupled areas untouched. These non-ruptured areas now may pose an elevated seismic hazard due to the transfer of stresses resulting from the 2014 rupture. Here we use recently collected multibeam bathymetric data, covering 90% of the North Chilean marine forearc, in combination with unpublished seismic reflection images to derive a tectonic map of the marine forearc in the unbroken segment of the seismic gap. In the entire study area we find evidence for widespread normal faulting. Seaward dipping normal faults locally extend close to the deformation front at the deep-sea trench under 8 km of water. Similar normal faults on the lower slope are neither observed further north (2014 Iquique earthquake area) nor further south (2007 Tocopilla earthquake area). On the upper continental slope, some of the normal faults dip towards the continent, defining N-S trending ridges that can be traced over tens of kilometers. The spatial variations in normal faulting do not correlate with obvious changes in the structural and tectonic setting of the subduction zone (e.g. plate convergence rate and direction, trench sediment thickness, subducting plate roughness). Thus, the permanent deformation recorded in the spatial distribution of faults may hold crucial information about the long-term seismic behavior of the Northern Chile seismic gap over multiple earthquake cycles. Although the structural interpretations cannot directly be translated into seismic hazard, the tectonic map serves to better understand deformation in the marine forearc in relation to the seismic cycle, historic seismicity, and the spatial distribution of plate-coupling.

  17. Development of an Abort Gap Monitor for High-Energy Proton Rings

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

    Beche, J.-F.; Byrd, J.; De Santis, S.

    2004-11-10

    The fill pattern in proton synchrotrons usually features an empty gap, longer than the abort kicker raise time, for machine protection. This gap is referred to as the 'abort gap', and any particles, which may accumulate in it due to injection errors and diffusion between RF buckets, would be lost inside the ring, rather than in the beam dump, during the kicker firing. In large proton rings, due to the high energies involved, it is vital to monitor the build up of charges in the abort gap with a high sensitivity. We present a study of an abort gap monitormore » based on a photomultiplier with a gated microchannel plate, which would allow for detecting low charge densities by monitoring the synchrotron radiation emitted. We show results of beam test experiments at the Advanced Light Source using a Hamamatsu 5916U MCP-PMT and compare them to the specifications for the Large Hadron Collider.« less

  18. Development of an abort gap monitor for high-energy proton rings

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

    Beche, Jean-Francois; Byrd, John; De Santis, Stefano

    2004-05-03

    The fill pattern in proton synchrotrons usually features an empty gap, longer than the abort kicker raise time, for machine protection. This gap is referred to as the ''abort gap'' and any particles, which may accumulate in it due to injection errors and diffusion between RF buckets, would be lost inside the ring, rather than in the beam dump, during the kicker firing. In large proton rings, due to the high energies involved, it is vital to monitor the build up of charges in the abort gap with a high sensitivity. We present a study of an abort gap monitormore » based on a photomultiplier with a gated microchannel plate, which would allow for detecting low charge densities by monitoring the synchrotron radiation emitted. We show results of beam test experiments at the Advanced Light Source using a Hamamatsu 5916U MCP-PMT and compare them to the specifications for the Large Hadron Collider« less

  19. Plate tectonics and crustal deformation around the Japanese Islands

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hashimoto, Manabu; Jackson, David D.

    1993-01-01

    We analyze over a century of geodetic data to study crustal deformation and plate motion around the Japanese Islands, using the block-fault model for crustal deformation developed by Matsu'ura et al. (1986). We model the area including the Japanese Islands with 19 crustal blocks and 104 faults based on the distribution of active faults and seismicity. Geodetic data are used to obtain block motions and average slip rates of faults. This geodetic model predicts that the Pacific plate moves N deg 69 +/- 2 deg W at about 80 +/- 3 mm/yr relative to the Eurasian plate which is much lower than that predicted in geologic models. Substantial aseismic slip occurs on the subduction boundaries. The block containing the Izu Peninsula may be separated from the rigid part of the Philippine Sea plate. The faults on the coast of Japan Sea and the western part of the Median Tectonic Line have slip rates exceeding 4 mm/yr, while the Fossa Magna does not play an important role in the tectonics of the central Japan. The geodetic model requires the division of northeastern Japan, contrary to the hypothesis that northeastern Japan is a part of the North American plate. Owing to rapid convergence, the seismic risk in the Nankai trough may be larger than that of the Tokai gap.

  20. Optimization Design of Bipolar Plate Flow Field in PEM Stack

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wen, Ming; He, Kanghao; Li, Peilong; Yang, Lei; Deng, Li; Jiang, Fei; Yao, Yong

    2017-12-01

    A new design of bipolar plate flow field in proton exchange membrane (PEM) stack was presented to develop a high-performance transfer efficiency of the two-phase flow. Two different flow fields were studied by using numerical simulations and the performance of the flow fields was presented. the hydrodynamic properties include pressure gap between inlet and outlet, the Reynold’s number of the two types were compared based on the Navier-Stokes equations. Computer aided optimization software was implemented in the design of experiments of the preferable flow field. The design of experiments (DOE) for the favorable concept was carried out to study the hydrodynamic properties when changing the design parameters of the bipolar plate.

  1. TEMPERATURE-GRADIENT PLATES FOR GROWTH OF MICROORGANISMS

    PubMed Central

    Landman, Otto E.; Bausum, Howard T.; Matney, Thomas S.

    1962-01-01

    Landman, Otto E. (Fort Detrick, Frederick, Md.), Howard T. Bausum, and Thomas S. Matney. Temperature-gradient plates for growth of microorganisms. J. Bacteriol. 83:463–469. 1962.—Different temperature-gradient plates have been devised for the study of microbial growth on solid media through continuous temperature ranges or in liquid media at finely graded temperatures. All plates are made of heavy-gauge aluminum; heat supplied at one end is dissipated along the length of the metal so that a gradient is produced. The shape and range of the gradient depends on the amount of heat supplied, the insulation, the ambient temperature, and other factors. Differences of 0.2 C in temperature sensitivity between bacterial strains can be detected. The plates are simple to construct and operate. The dimensions of the aluminum, the mode of temperature measurement, and the method of heating may all be modified without diminishing the basic utility of the device. A sharp growth front develops at the maximal temperature of growth of bacteria. In most strains, all bacteria below the front form colonies and all bacteria above the front are killed, except for a few temperature-resistant mutants. Images PMID:14461975

  2. Spray Formation during the Impact of a Flat Plate on Water Surface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, An; Duncan, James H.

    2015-11-01

    Spray formation during the impact of a flat plate on a water surface is studied experimentally. The plate is mounted on a two-axis carriage that can slam the plate vertically into the water surface as the carriage moves horizontally along a towing tank. The plate is 122 cm by 38 cm and oriented with adjustable pitch and roll angle. The port (lower) edge of the plate is positioned with a 3-mm gap from one of the tank walls. A laser sheet is created in a plane oriented perpendicular to the axis of the horizontal motion of the carriage. The temporal evolution of the spray within the light sheet is measured with a cinematic laser induced fluorescence technique at a frame rate of 800 Hz. Experiments are performed with a fixed plate trajectory in a vertical plane, undertaken at various speeds. Two types of spray are found when the plate has nonzero pitch and roll angles. The first type is composed of a cloud of high-speed droplets and ligaments generated as the port edge of the plate hits the water surface during the initial impact. The second type is a thin sheet of water that grows from the starboard edge of the plate as it moves below the local water level. The geometrical features of the spray are found to be dramatically affected by the impact velocity. The support of the Office of Naval Research under grant N000141310587 is gratefully acknowledged.

  3. Torsional wave band gap properties in a circular plate of a two-dimensional generalized phononic crystal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Lei; Shu, Haisheng; Liang, Shanjun; Shi, Xiaona; An, Shuowei; Ren, Wanyue; Zhu, Jie

    2018-05-01

    The torsional wave band gap properties of a two-dimensional generalized phononic crystal (GPC) are investigated in this paper. The GPC structure considered is consisted of two different materials being arranged with radial and circumferential periodicities simultaneously. Based on the viewpoint of energy distribution and the finite element method, the power flow, energy density, sound intensity vector together with the stress field of the structure excited by torsional load are numerically calculated and discussed. Our results show that, the band gap of Bragg type exists in these two-dimensional composite structures, and the band gap range is mainly determined by radial periodicity while the circumferential periodicity would result in some transmission peaks within the band gap. These peaks are mainly produced by two different mechanisms, the energy leakage occurred in circumferential channels and the excitation of the local eigenmodes of certain scatterers. These results may be useful in torsional vibration control for various rotational parts and components, and in the application of energy harvesting, etc.

  4. MT2D Inversion to Image the Gorda Plate Subduction Zone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lubis, Y. K.; Niasari, S. W.; Hartantyo, E.

    2018-04-01

    The magnetotelluric method is applicable for studying complicated geological structures because the subsurface electrical properties are strongly influenced by the electric and magnetic fields. This research located in the Gorda subduction zone beneath the North American continental plate. Magnetotelluric 2D inversion was used to image the variation of subsurface resistivity although the phase tensor analysis shows that the majority of dimensionality data is 3D. 19 MT sites were acquired from EarthScope/USArray Project. Wepresent the image of MT 2D inversion to exhibit conductivity distribution from the middle crust to uppermost asthenosphere at a depth of 120 kilometers. Based on the inversion, the overall data misfit value is 3.89. The Gorda plate subduction appears as a high resistive zone beneath the California. Local conductive features are found in the middle crust downward Klamath Mountain, Bonneville Lake, and below the eastern of Utah. Furthermore, mid-crustal is characterized by moderately resistive. Below the extensional Basin and Range province was related to highly resistive. The middle crust to the uppermost asthenosphere becomes moderately resistive. We conclude that the electrical parameters and the dimensionality of datain the shallow depth(about 22.319 km) beneath the North American platein accordance with surface geological features.

  5. Development of an abort gap monitor for the large hadroncollider

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

    Beche, J.-F.; Byrd, J.; De Santis, S.

    2004-07-01

    The Large Hadron Collider (LHC), presently under construction at CERN, requires monitoring the parasitic charge in the 3.3ms long gap in the machine fill structure. This gap, referred to as the abort gap, corresponds to the raise time of the abort kickers magnets. Any circulating particle present in the abort gap at the time of the kickers firing is lost inside the ring, rather than in the beam dump, and can potentially damage a number of the LHC components. CERN specifications indicate a linear density of 6 x 106 protons over a 100 ns interval as the maximum charge safelymore » allowed to accumulate in the abort gap at 7 TeV. We present a study of an abort gap monitor, based on a photomultiplier tube with a gated microchannel plate, which would allow for detecting such low charge densities by monitoring the synchrotron radiation emitted in the dedicated diagnostics port. We show results of beam test experiments at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) using a Hamamatsu 5961U MCP-PMT, which indicate that such an instrument has the required sensitivity to meet LHC specifications.« less

  6. Hydrodynamics of a flexible plate between pitching rigid plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Junyoung; Kim, Daegyoum

    2017-11-01

    The dynamics of a flexible plate have been studied as a model problem in swimming and flying of animals and fluid-structure interaction of plants and flags. Motivated by fish schooling and an array of sea grasses, we investigate the dynamics of a flexible plate closely placed between two pitching rigid plates. In most studies on passive deformation of the flexible plate, the plate is immersed in a uniform flow or a wavy flow. However, in this study, the flexible plate experiences periodic deformation by the oscillatory flow generated by the prescribed pitching motion of the rigid plates. In our model, the pitching axes of the rigid plates and the clamping position of the flexible plate are aligned on the same line. The flexible plate shows various responses depending on length and pitching frequency of rigid plates, thickness of a flexible plate, and free-stream velocity. To find the effect of each variable on the response of the flexible plate, amplitude of a trailing edge and modal contribution of a flapping motion are compared, and flow structure around the flexible plate is examined.

  7. Dynamic effects of a 9 mm missile on cadaveric skull protected by aramid, polyethylene or aluminum plate: an experimental study.

    PubMed

    Sarron, Jean-Claude; Dannawi, Marwan; Faure, Alexis; Caillou, Jean-Paul; Da Cunha, Joseph; Robert, Roger

    2004-08-01

    Most military helmets are designed to prevent penetration by small firearms using composite materials in their construction. However, the transient deformation of the composite helmet during a non penetrating impact may result in severe head injury. Two experimental designs were undertaken to characterize the extend of injuries imparted by composite panels using in protective helmets. In the first series, 21 dry skulls were protected by polyethylene plates, with gaps between the protective plate and skull ranging from 12 to 15 mm. In another design, using 9 cadavers, heads were protected by aluminum, aramid, or polyethylene plates. Specimens were instrumented with pressure gauges to record the impact response. The ammunition used in these experiments was 9 mm caliber and had a velocity of 400 m/s. A macroscopic analysis of the specimens quantified fractures and injuries, which were then related to the measured pressures. Protective plates influenced both the levels of injury and the intracranial pressure. Injuries were accentuated as the plates was changed from aluminum to composite materials and ranged from skin laceration to extensive skull fractures and brain contusion. Fractures were associated with brain parenchymal pressures in excess of 560 kPa and cerebrospinal fluid pressure of 150 kPa. An air gap of a few millimeters between the plate and the head was sufficient to decrease these internal pressures by half, significantly reducing the level of injury. Ballistic helmets made of composite materials could be optimized to avoid extensive transient deformation and thus reduce the impact and blunt trauma to the head. However, this deformation cannot be completely removed, which is why the gap between the helmet and the head must be maintained at more than 12 mm.

  8. From Plate Tectonic to Continental Dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Molnar, P. H.

    2017-12-01

    By the early 1970s, the basics of plate tectonics were known. Although much understanding remained to be gained, as a topic of research, plate tectonics no longer defined the forefront of earth science. Not only had it become a foundation on which to build, but also the methods used to reveal it became tools to take in new directions. For me as a seismologist studying earthquakes and active processes, the deformation of continents offered an obvious topic to pursue. Obviously examining the deformation of continents and ignoring the widespread geologic evidence of both ongoing and finite deformation of crust would be stupid. I was blessed with the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with two of the best, Paul Tapponnier and Clark Burchfiel. Continental deformation differed from plate tectonics both because deformation was widespread but more importantly because crust shortens (extends) horizontally and thickens (thins), processes that can be ignored where plate tectonics - the relative motion of rigid plates - occurs. Where a plate boundary passes into a continent, not only must the forces that move plates do work against friction or other dissipative processes, but where high terrain is created, they must also do work against gravity, to create gravitational potential energy in high terrain. Peter Bird and Kenneth Piper and Philip England and Dan McKenzie showed that a two-dimensional thin viscous sheet with vertically averaged properties enabled both sources of resistance to be included without introducing excessive complexity and to be scaled by one dimensionless number, what the latter pair called the Argand number. Increasingly over the past thirty years, emphasis has shifted toward the role played by the mantle lithosphere, because of both its likely strength and its negative buoyancy, which makes it gravitationally unstable. Despite progress since realizing that rigid plates (the essence of plate tectonics) provides a poor description of continental

  9. Edge seal for a porous gas distribution plate of a fuel cell

    DOEpatents

    Feigenbaum, Haim; Pudick, Sheldon; Singh, Rajindar

    1984-01-01

    In an improved seal for a gas distribution plate of a fuel cell, a groove is provided extending along an edge of the plate. A member of resinous material is arranged within the groove and a paste comprising an immobilized acid is arranged surrounding the member and substantially filling the groove. The seal, which is impervious to the gas being distributed, is resistant to deterioration by the electrolyte of the cell.

  10. Signal enhancement due to high-Z nanofilm electrodes in parallel plate ionization chambers with variable microgaps.

    PubMed

    Brivio, Davide; Sajo, Erno; Zygmanski, Piotr

    2017-12-01

    We developed a method for measuring signal enhancement produced by high-Z nanofilm electrodes in parallel plate ionization chambers with variable thickness microgaps. We used a laboratory-made variable gap parallel plate ionization chamber with nanofilm electrodes made of aluminum-aluminum (Al-Al) and aluminum-tantalum (Al-Ta). The electrodes were evaporated on 1 mm thick glass substrates. The interelectrode air gap was varied from 3 μm to 1 cm. The gap size was measured using a digital micrometer and it was confirmed by capacitance measurements. The electric field in the chamber was kept between 0.1 kV/cm and 1 kV/cm for all the gap sizes by applying appropriate compensating voltages. The chamber was exposed to 120 kVp X-rays. The current was measured using a commercial data acquisition system with temporal resolution of 600 Hz. In addition, radiation transport simulations were carried out to characterize the dose, D(x), high-energy electron current, J(x), and deposited charge, Q(x), as a function of distance, x, from the electrodes. A deterministic method was selected over Monte Carlo due to its ability to produce results with 10 nm spatial resolution without stochastic uncertainties. Experimental signal enhancement ratio, SER(G) which we defined as the ratio of signal for Al-air-Ta to signal for Al-air-Al for each gap size, was compared to computations. The individual contributions of dose, electron current, and charge deposition to the signal enhancement were determined. Experimental signals matched computed data for all gap sizes after accounting for several contributions to the signal: (a) charge carrier generated via ionization due to the energy deposited in the air gap, D(x); (b) high-energy electron current, J(x), leaking from high-Z electrode (Ta) toward low-Z electrode (Al); (c) deposited charge in the air gap, Q(x); and (d) the decreased collection efficiency for large gaps (>~500 μm). Q(x) accounts for the electrons below 100 eV, which are

  11. Plateau subduction, intraslab seismicity and the Denali Volcanic Gap

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bostock, M. G.; Chuang, L. Y.; Wech, A.; Plourde, A. P.

    2017-12-01

    Tectonic tremors in Alaska (USA) are associated with subduction of the Yakutat plateau, but their origins are unclear due to lack of depth constraints. We have processed tremor recordings to extract low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs), and generated a set of six LFE waveform templates via iterative network matched filtering and stacking. The timing of impulsive P (compressional) wave and S (shear) wave arrivals on template waveforms places LFEs at 40-58 km depth, near the upper envelope of intraslab seismicity and immediately updip of increased levels of intraslab seismicity. S waves at near-epicentral distances display polarities consistent with shear slip on the plate boundary. We compare characteristics of LFEs, seismicity, and tectonic structures in central Alaska with those in warm subduction zones, and propose a new model for the region's unusual intraslab seismicity and the enigmatic Denali volcanic gap (i.e., an area of no volcanism where expected). We argue that fluids in the Yakutat plate are confined to its upper crust, and that shallow subduction leads to hydromechanical conditions at the slab interface in central Alaska akin to those in warm subduction zones where similar LFEs and tremor occur. These conditions lead to fluid expulsion at shallow depths, explaining strike-parallel alignment of tremor occurrence with the Denali volcanic gap. Moreover, the lack of double seismic zone and restriction of deep intraslab seismicity to a persistent low-velocity zone are simple consequences of anhydrous conditions prevailing in the lower crust and upper mantle of the Yakutat plate.

  12. Impacting load control of floating supported friction plate and its experimental verification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ning, Keyan; Wang, Yu; Huang, Dingchuan; Yin, Lei

    2017-05-01

    Friction plates are key components in automobile transmission system. Unfortunately, due to the tough working condition i.e. high impact, high temperature, fracture and plastic deformation are easily observed in friction plates. In order to reduce the impact load and increase the impact resistance and life span of the friction plate. This paper presents a variable damping design method and structure, by punching holes in the key position of the friction plate and filling it with damping materials, the impact load of the floating support friction plate can be controlled. Simulation is applied to study the effect of the position and number of damping holes on tooth root stress. Furthermore, physic test was designed and conducted to validate the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method. Test result shows that the impact load of the new structure is reduced by 40% and its fatigue life is 4.7 times larger. The new structure provides a new way for floating supported friction plates design.

  13. Plate-like convection in fluids with temperature-dependent viscosity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Curbelo, J.; Mancho, A. M.

    2015-12-01

    The study of instabilities in fluids in which viscosity experiences a transition at a certain temperature range is of great interest for the understanding of planetary interiors, since this phenomena is suitable for representing a very viscous lithosphere (and thus rather rigid) over a convecting mantle. To this end, we study a 2D convection problem in which viscosity depends on temperature by abruptly changing its value within a narrow temperature gap. Notable solutions are found for a sharp transition viscosity law which are fundamentally related to the presence of a symmetry in the problem. For instance, cyclic series are found consisting of spontaneous plate-like behaviors emerging sporadically through abrupt bursts, and rapidly evolving towards a stagnant lid regime. The plate-like evolution alternates motions towards either right or left, introducing temporary asymmetries on the convecting styles. Further time-dependent regimes with stagnant and plate-like lids are described, which are also greatly influenced by the presence of the symmetry. These results provide convection examples of moving plates, that coexist with subsurface upwards and downwards meandering jets, but without a proper subduction, and can be particularly illustrative for understanding convective styles of the Earth prior to subduction, or that of other planetary bodies.

  14. Seismic and Geodetic Monitoring of the Nicoya, Costa Rica, Seismic Gap

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Protti, M.; Gonzalez, V.; Schwartz, S.; Dixon, T.; Kato, T.; Kaneda, Y.; Simila, G.; Sampson, D.

    2007-05-01

    The Nicoya segment of the Middle America Trench has been recognized as a mature seismic gap with potential to generate a large earthquake in the near future (it ruptured with large earthquakes in 1853, 1900 and 1950). Low level of background seismicity and fast crustal deformation of the forearc are indicatives of strong coupling along the plate interface. Given its high seismic potential, the available data and especially the fact that the Nicoya peninsula extends over large part of the rupture area, this gap was selected as one of the two sites for a MARGINS-SEIZE experiment. With the goal of documenting the evolution of loading and stress release along this seismic gap, an international effort involving several institutions from Costa Rica, the United States and Japan is being carried out for over a decade in the region. This effort involves the installation of temporary and permanent seismic and geodetic networks. The seismic network includes short period, broad band and strong motion instruments. The seismic monitoring has provided valuable information on the geometry and characteristics of the plate interface. The geodetic network includes temporary and permanent GPS stations as well as surface and borehole tiltmeters. The geodetic networks have helped quantify the extend and degree of coupling. A continuously recording, three- station GPS network on the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, recorded what we believe is the first slow slip event observed along the plate interface of the Costa Rica subduction zone. We will present results from these monitoring networks. Collaborative international efforts are focused on expanding these seismic and geodetic networks to provide improved resolution of future creep events, to enhanced understanding of the mechanical behavior of the Nicoya subduction segment of the Middle American Trench and possibly capture the next large earthquake and its potential precursor deformation.

  15. Ultrahigh resolution radiation imaging system using an optical fiber structure scintillator plate.

    PubMed

    Yamamoto, Seiichi; Kamada, Kei; Yoshikawa, Akira

    2018-02-16

    High resolution imaging of radiation is required for such radioisotope distribution measurements as alpha particle detection in nuclear facilities or high energy physics experiments. For this purpose, we developed an ultrahigh resolution radiation imaging system using an optical fiber structure scintillator plate. We used a ~1-μm diameter fiber structured GdAlO 3 :Ce (GAP) /α-Al 2 O 3 scintillator plate to reduce the light spread. The fiber structured scintillator plate was optically coupled to a tapered optical fiber plate to magnify the image and combined with a lens-based high sensitivity CCD camera. We observed the images of alpha particles with a spatial resolution of ~25 μm. For the beta particles, the images had various shapes, and the trajectories of the electrons were clearly observed in the images. For the gamma photons, the images also had various shapes, and the trajectories of the secondary electrons were observed in some of the images. These results show that combining an optical fiber structure scintillator plate with a tapered optical fiber plate and a high sensitivity CCD camera achieved ultrahigh resolution and is a promising method to observe the images of the interactions of radiation in a scintillator.

  16. Numerical simulation of calcium sulfate (CaSO4) fouling in the plate heat exchanger

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Zhiming; Zhao, Yu; Han, Zhimin; Wang, Jingtao

    2018-07-01

    Plate heat exchanger is a widely used apparatus in the industrial production processes. Through a numerical simulation method, this paper calculates the deposition rate of CaSO4 fouling on heat transfer surfaces of the plate heat exchanger under saturation in the bulk. The effects of CaSO4 concentration in the range 0.7 kg/m3 to 1.5 kg/m3, inlet flow velocity under turbulent flow, and the fluid's inlet temperature from 288 K to 328 K on the deposition rate, removal mass rate and fouling resistance are investigated. The simulation results are compared with the experimental results showing similar trend. The simulation results show that the concentration and the flow velocity affect significantly the fouling characteristics in the plate heat exchanger. The deposition mass rate, removal mass rate, and asymptotic value of fouling resistance all increase with the increase in CaSO4 concentration and the inlet temperature of the hot fluid, while the asymptotic value of fouling resistance decreases with the increasing of inlet flow velocity. The influence of the inlet temperature of cold fluid may be negligible.

  17. Method for preparing surfaces of metal composites having a brittle phase for plating

    DOEpatents

    Coates, Cameron W.; Wilson, Thomas J.

    1984-01-01

    The present invention is directed to a method for preparing surfaces of two-phase metal composites having relatively brittle and malleable components for plating with corrosion-resistant material. In practice of the present invention, the surfaces of the composites are etched to remove a major portion or fraction of the brittle component. The etched surface is then peened with particulates for breaking the brittle component from the surfaces and for spreading or smearing the malleable component over the surfaces. The peened surface is then chemically cleaned of residual traces of the brittle component so as to provide a surface of essentially the malleable component to which the corrosion-resistant material may be plated thereon in an adherent manner.

  18. Evolution of Microstructure and Stress Corrosion Cracking Behavior of AA2219 Plate to Ring Weld Joints in 3.5 Wt Pct NaCl Solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Venugopal, A.; Narayanan, P. Ramesh; Sharma, S. C.

    2016-04-01

    AA2219 aluminum alloy plate (T87) and ring (T851) were joined by tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding using multi-pass welding. The mechanical properties and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) resistance of the above base metals (BMs) in different directions (L, LT, and ST) were examined. Similarly, the weld metal joined by plate to plate and plate to ring (PR) joints was evaluated. The results revealed that the mechanical properties of the ring were comparatively lower than the plate. This was found to be due to the extremely coarse grain size of the ring along with severe Cu-rich segregation along the grain boundaries when compared to the plate material. The SCC resistance of the base and weldments were found to be good and not susceptible to SCC. This was shown to be due to high values of SCC index (>0.9) and the typical ductile cracking morphology of the BM and the weld joints after SCC test in the environment (3.5 wt pct NaCl) when compared to test performed in the control environment (air). However, the corrosion resistance of the weld interface between the FZ and ring was inferior to the FZ-plate interface.

  19. Theoretical and Experimental Study of the Primary Current Distribution in Parallel-Plate Electrochemical Reactors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vazquez Aranda, Armando I.; Henquin, Eduardo R.; Torres, Israel Rodriguez; Bisang, Jose M.

    2012-01-01

    A laboratory experiment is described to determine the primary current distribution in parallel-plate electrochemical reactors. The electrolyte is simulated by conductive paper and the electrodes are segmented to measure the current distribution. Experiments are reported with the electrolyte confined to the interelectrode gap, where the current…

  20. Survey of ion plating sources. [conferences

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Spalvins, T.

    1979-01-01

    Based on the type of evaporation source, gaseous media and mode of transport, the following is discussed: resistance, electron beam, sputtering, reactive and ion beam evaporation. Ionization efficiencies and ion energies in the glow discharge determine the percentage of atoms which are ionized under typical ion plating conditions. The plating flux consists of a small number of energetic ions and a large number of energetic neutrals. The energy distribution ranges from thermal energies up to a maximum energy of the discharge. The various reaction mechanisms which contribute to the exceptionally strong adherence - formation of a graded sustrate/coating interface are not fully understood, however the controlling factors are evaluated. The influence of process variables on the nucleation and growth characteristics are illustrated in terms of morphological changes which affect the mechanical and tribological properties of the coating.

  1. Application of Laser Ranging and VLBI Data to a Study of Plate Tectonic Driving Forces

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Solomon, S. C.

    1980-01-01

    The conditions under which changes in plate driving or resistive forces associated with plate boundary earthquakes are measurable with laser ranging or very long base interferometry were investigated. Aspects of plate forces that can be characterized by such measurements were identified. Analytic solutions for two dimensional stress diffusion in a viscoelastic plate following earthquake faulting on a finite fault, finite element solutions for three dimensional stress diffusion in a viscoelastic Earth following earthquake faulting, and quantitative constraints from modeling of global intraplate stress on the magnitude of deviatoric stress in the lithosphere are among the topics discussed.

  2. LagLoc - a new surgical technique for locking plate systems.

    PubMed

    Triana, Miguel; Gueorguiev, Boyko; Sommer, Christoph; Stoffel, Karl; Agarwal, Yash; Zderic, Ivan; Helfen, Tobias; Krieg, James C; Krause, Fabian; Knobe, Matthias; Richards, R Geoff; Lenz, Mark

    2018-06-19

    Treatment of oblique and spiral fractures remains challenging. The aim of this study was to introduce and investigate the new LagLoc technique for locked plating with generation of interfragmentary compression, combining the advantages of lag-screw and locking-head-screw techniques. Oblique fracture was simulated in artificial diaphyseal bones, assigned to three groups for plating with a 7-hole locking compression plate. Group I was plated with three locking screws in holes 1, 4 and 7. The central screw crossed the fracture line. In group II the central hole was occupied with a lag screw perpendicular to fracture line. Group III was instrumented applying the LagLoc technique as follows. Hole 4 was predrilled perpendicularly to the plate, followed by overdrilling of the near cortex and insertion of a locking screw whose head was covered by a holding sleeve to prevent temporarily the locking in the plate hole and generate interfragmentary compression. Subsequently, the screw head was released and locked in the plate hole. Holes 1 and 7 were occupied with locking screws. Interfragmentary compression in the fracture gap was measured using pressure sensors. All screws in the three groups were tightened with 4Nm torque. Interfragmentary compression in group I (167 ± 25N) was significantly lower in comparison to groups II (431 ± 21N) and III (379 ± 59N), p≤0.005. The difference in compression between groups II and III remained not significant (p = 0.999). The new LagLoc technique offers an alternative tool to generate interfragmentary compression with the application of locking plates by combining the biomechanical advantages of lag screw and locking screw fixations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  3. Impact of composite plates: Analysis of stresses and forces

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Moon, F. C.; Kim, B. S.; Fang-Landau, S. R.

    1976-01-01

    The foreign object damage resistance of composite fan blades was studied. Edge impact stresses in an anisotropic plate were first calculated incorporating a constrained layer damping model. It is shown that a very thin damping layer can dramatically decrease the maximum normal impact stresses. A multilayer model of a composite plate is then presented which allows computation of the interlaminar normal and shear stresses. Results are presented for the stresses due to a line impact load normal to the plane of a composite plate. It is shown that significant interlaminar tensile stresses can develop during impact. A computer code was developed for this problem using the fast Fourier transform. A marker and cell computer code were also used to investigate the hydrodynamic impact of a fluid slug against a wall or turbine blade. Application of fluid modeling of bird impact is reviewed.

  4. Charpy V-notch properties and microstructures of narrow gap ferritic welds of a quenched and tempered steel plate

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

    Powell, G.L.F.; Herfurth, G.

    1998-11-01

    Multipass welds of quenched and tempered 50-mm-thick steel plate have been deposited by a single wire narrow gap process using both gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and submerged arc welding (SAW). Of the five welds, two reported much lower Charpy V-notch (CVN) values when tested at {minus} 20 C. The CVN toughness did not correlate with either the welding process or whether the power source was pulsed or nonpulsed. The only difference in the ferritic microstructure between the two welds of low Charpy values and the three of high values was the percentage of acicular ferrite. There was no effectmore » of the percentage of as-deposited reheated zones intersected by the Charpy notch or the microhardness of the intercellular-dendritic regions. In all welds, austenite was the microconstituent between the ferrite laths. The percentage of acicular ferrite correlated with the presence of MnO, TiO{sub 2}, {gamma} Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, or MnO. Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} as the predominant crystalline compound in the oxide inclusions. In turn, the crystalline compound depended on the aluminum-to-titanium ratio in both the weld deposits and the oxide inclusions. In addition to the presence of less acicular ferrite, the two welds that showed lower Charpy values also reported more oxide inclusions greater than 1 {micro}m in diameter. The combination of more oxide inclusions greater than 1 {micro}m and less acicular ferrite is considered to be the explanation for the lower Charpy values.« less

  5. Velocity and pressure measurements in guide vane clearance gap of a low specific speed Francis turbine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thapa, B. S.; Dahlhaug, O. G.; Thapa, B.

    2016-11-01

    In Francis turbine, a small clearance gap between the guide vanes and the cover plates is usually required to pivot guide vanes as a part of governing system. Deflection of cover plates and erosion of mating surfaces causes this gap to increase from its design value. The clearance gap induces the secondary flow in the distributor system. This effects the main flow at the runner inlet, which causes losses in efficiency and instability. A guide vane cascade of a low specific speed Francis turbine has been developed for experimental investigations. The test setup is able to produce similar velocity distributions at the runner inlet as that of a reference prototype turbine. The setup is designed for particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements from the position of stay vane outlet to the position of runner inlet. In this study, velocity and pressure measurements are conducted with 2 mm clearance gap on one side of guide vane. Leakage flow is observed and measured together with pressure measurements. It is concluded that the leakage flow behaves as a jet and mixes with the main flow in cross-wise direction and forms a vortex filament. This causes non-uniform inlet flow conditions at runner blades.

  6. Biomechanical comparison of locked versus non-locked symphyseal plating of unstable pelvic ring injuries.

    PubMed

    Godinsky, R J; Vrabec, G A; Guseila, L M; Filipkowski, D E; Elias, J J

    2018-04-01

    Locked symphyseal plates are utilized to provide higher levels of construct stiffness than non-locked plates. The current biomechanical study was performed to compare stiffness at the pubic symphysis between locked and non-locked plating systems. Synthetic models were utilized to represent injury to the pelvis and symphyseal plating combined with a sacro-iliac screw. Seven models were evaluated with plates and locking screws, and seven were evaluated with non-locking screws. Single limb stance was simulated, with all models loaded for 1000 cycles with 350 N applied at the sacrum. Two pairs of markers crossing the symphysis were tracked with a video-based tracking system. A coordinate system was developed to quantify motion between the pairs in three directions: medial-lateral gap, anterior-posterior shear translation, and superior-inferior shear translation. Significant differences between the plating systems were identified with t tests (p < 0.05). Anterior-posterior shear translation varied significantly between the two plating systems. From cycles 100 to 1000, average shear translation for the non-locked and locked systems was ~0.7 and 0.3 mm, respectively, at the markers closest to the plate and 2.2 and 1.4 mm, respectively, at the markers further from the plate. Motion in the other two directions did not differ significantly between locked and non-locked models. Locked symphyseal plating systems can provide better stability than non-locked systems for anterior-posterior shear translation. More stability could potentially reduce the risk of failure of the plate or screws.

  7. Plateau subduction, intraslab seismicity, and the Denali (Alaska) volcanic gap

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chuang, Lindsay Yuling; Bostock, Michael; Wech, Aaron; Plourde, Alexandre

    2018-01-01

    Tectonic tremors in Alaska (USA) are associated with subduction of the Yakutat plateau, but their origins are unclear due to lack of depth constraints. We have processed tremor recordings to extract low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs), and generated a set of six LFE waveform templates via iterative network matched filtering and stacking. The timing of impulsive P (compressional) wave and S (shear) wave arrivals on template waveforms places LFEs at 40–58 km depth, near the upper envelope of intraslab seismicity and immediately updip of increased levels of intraslab seismicity. S waves at near-epicentral distances display polarities consistent with shear slip on the plate boundary. We compare characteristics of LFEs, seismicity, and tectonic structures in central Alaska with those in warm subduction zones, and propose a new model for the region’s unusual intraslab seismicity and the enigmatic Denali volcanic gap (i.e., an area of no volcanism where expected). We argue that fluids in the Yakutat plate are confined to its upper crust, and that shallow subduction leads to hydromechanical conditions at the slab interface in central Alaska akin to those in warm subduction zones where similar LFEs and tremor occur. These conditions lead to fluid expulsion at shallow depths, explaining strike-parallel alignment of tremor occurrence with the Denali volcanic gap. Moreover, the lack of double seismic zone and restriction of deep intraslab seismicity to a persistent low-velocity zone are simple consequences of anhydrous conditions prevailing in the lower crust and upper mantle of the Yakutat plate.

  8. A Treatise on Equivalent-Plate Stiffnesses for Stiffened Laminated-Composite Plates and Plate-Like Lattices

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nemeth, Michael P.

    2011-01-01

    A survey of studies conducted since 1914 on the use of equivalent-plate stiffnesses in modeling the overall, stiffness-critical response of stiffened plates and shells is presented. Two detailed, comprehensive derivations of first-approximation equivalent-plate stiffnesses are also presented that are based on the Reissner-Mindlin-type, first-order transverse-shear deformation theory for anisotropic plates. Equivalent-plate stiffness expressions, and a corresponding symbolic manipulation computer program, are also presented for several different stiffener configurations. These expressions are very general and exhibit the full range of anisotropies permitted by the Reissner-Mindlin-type, first-order transverse-shear deformation theory for anisotropic plates. The expressions presented in the present study were also compared with available, previously published results. For the most part, the previously published results are for special cases of the general expressions presented herein and are almost in complete agreement. Analysis is also presented that extends the use of the equivalent-plate stiffness expressions to sandwich plates.

  9. Does permanent extensional deformation in lower forearc slopes indicate shallow plate-boundary rupture?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Geersen, J.; Ranero, C. R.; Kopp, H.; Behrmann, J. H.; Lange, D.; Klaucke, I.; Barrientos, S.; Diaz-Naveas, J.; Barckhausen, U.; Reichert, C.

    2018-05-01

    Seismic rupture of the shallow plate-boundary can result in large tsunamis with tragic socio-economic consequences, as exemplified by the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake. To better understand the processes involved in shallow earthquake rupture in seismic gaps (where megathrust earthquakes are expected), and investigate the tsunami hazard, it is important to assess whether the region experienced shallow earthquake rupture in the past. However, there are currently no established methods to elucidate whether a margin segment has repeatedly experienced shallow earthquake rupture, with the exception of mechanical studies on subducted fault-rocks. Here we combine new swath bathymetric data, unpublished seismic reflection images, and inter-seismic seismicity to evaluate if the pattern of permanent deformation in the marine forearc of the Northern Chile seismic gap allows inferences on past earthquake behavior. While the tectonic configuration of the middle and upper slope remains similar over hundreds of kilometers along the North Chilean margin, we document permanent extensional deformation of the lower slope localized to the region 20.8°S-22°S. Critical taper analyses, the comparison of permanent deformation to inter-seismic seismicity and plate-coupling models, as well as recent observations from other subduction-zones, including the area that ruptured during the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake, suggest that the normal faults at the lower slope may have resulted from shallow, possibly near-trench breaking earthquake ruptures in the past. In the adjacent margin segments, the 1995 Antofagasta, 2007 Tocopilla, and 2014 Iquique earthquakes were limited to the middle and upper-slope and the terrestrial forearc, and so are upper-plate normal faults. Our findings suggest a seismo-tectonic segmentation of the North Chilean margin that seems to be stable over multiple earthquake cycles. If our interpretations are correct, they indicate a high tsunami hazard posed by the yet un

  10. Buckling behavior of long symmetrically laminated plates subjected to combined loads

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nemeth, Michael P.

    1992-01-01

    A parametric study of the buckling behavior of infinitely long symmetrically laminated anisotropic plates subjected to combined loadings is presented. The loading conditions considered are axial tension and compression, transverse tension and compression, and shear. Results obtained using a special purpose analysis, well suited for parametric studies are presented for clamped and simply supported plates. Moreover, results are presented for some common laminate constructions, and generic buckling design charts are presented for a wide range of parameters. The generic design charts are presented in terms of useful nondimensional parameters, and dependence of the nondimensional parameters on laminate fiber orientation, stacking sequence, and material properties is discussed. An important finding of the study is that the effects of anisotropy are much more pronounced in shear-loaded plates than in compression loaded plates. In addition, the effects of anisotropy on plates subjected to combined loadings are generally manifested as a phase shift of self-similar buckling interaction curves. A practical application of this phase shift is the buckling resistance of long plates can be improved by applying a shear loading with a specific orientation. In all cases considered, it is found that the buckling coefficients of infinitely long plates are independent of the bending stiffness ratio (D sub 11/D sub 22) sup 1/4.

  11. Intra-band gap in Lamb modes propagating in a periodic solid structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pierre, J.; Rénier, M.; Bonello, B.; Hladky-Hennion, A.-C.

    2012-05-01

    A laser ultrasonic technique is used to measure the dispersion of Lamb waves at a few MHz, propagating in phononic crystals made of dissymmetric air inclusions drilled throughout silicon plates. It is shown that the specific shape of the inclusions is at the origin of the intra-band gap that opens within the second Brillouin zone, at the crossing of both flexural and dilatational zero-order modes. The magnitude of the intra-band gap is measured as a function of the dissymmetry rate of the inclusions. Experimental data and the computed dispersion curves are in very good agreement.

  12. Identification and Characterization of New Materials for Construction of Heating Plates for High-Temperature Guarded Hot Plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hameury, J.; Koenen, A.; Hay, B.; Wu, J.; Hammerschmidt, U.; Rafeld, E. K.; Pennewitz, E.; Turzó-András, E.; Strnad, R.; Blahut, A.

    2018-01-01

    The selection of a material for making the hot and cold plates of high-temperature guarded hot plates (HTGHPs) working up to 800°C is still an issue. The material must be machinable, have a high mechanical stability to keep the high level of flatness of the plates and have a high thermal conductivity and a high resistance to oxidation when used in air. Nickel 201 alloy has been used in several instruments, but has shown, sometimes, problems of mechanical stability. The total hemispherical emissivity of the plates must be higher than 0.8 as recommended by the standards. Three ceramic materials, a silicon infiltrated silicon carbide (SiSiC), a machinable aluminum nitride and a sintered aluminum nitride (AlN) with high thermal conductivity claimed at ambient temperature, were selected for tests in thermal conductivity and opacity to thermal radiation. Three paints withstanding high temperatures were tested in total hemispherical emissivity and durability at high temperature. Above 600°C, Nickel 201 alloy has a higher thermal conductivity than the three ceramics. Below 600°C, the SiSiC and the sintered AlN have a thermal conductivity significantly higher than Nickel 201, but the sintered AlN shows a wide transparency spectral band at short wavelengths (below 6.5 μ m). Above 300°C, the three paints have a total hemispherical emissivity above 0.8. One of the paints has polluted the specimens of an insulation material tested in thermal conductivity up to 650°C. The other two can be recommended to coat the hot and cold plates of HTGHPs used up to 800°C.

  13. Cold plate

    DOEpatents

    Marroquin, Christopher M.; O'Connell, Kevin M.; Schultz, Mark D.; Tian, Shurong

    2018-02-13

    A cold plate, an electronic assembly including a cold plate, and a method for forming a cold plate are provided. The cold plate includes an interface plate and an opposing plate that form a plenum. The cold plate includes a plurality of active areas arranged for alignment over respective heat generating portions of an electronic assembly, and non-active areas between the active areas. A cooling fluid flows through the plenum. The plenum, at the non-active areas, has a reduced width and/or reduced height relative to the plenum at the active areas. The reduced width and/or height of the plenum, and exterior dimensions of cold plate, at the non-active areas allow the non-active areas to flex to accommodate surface variations of the electronics assembly. The reduced width and/or height non-active areas can be specifically shaped to fit between physical features of the electronics assembly.

  14. Modeling pore corrosion in normally open gold- plated copper connectors.

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

    Battaile, Corbett Chandler; Moffat, Harry K.; Sun, Amy Cha-Tien

    2008-09-01

    The goal of this study is to model the electrical response of gold plated copper electrical contacts exposed to a mixed flowing gas stream consisting of air containing 10 ppb H{sub 2}S at 30 C and a relative humidity of 70%. This environment accelerates the attack normally observed in a light industrial environment (essentially a simplified version of the Battelle Class 2 environment). Corrosion rates were quantified by measuring the corrosion site density, size distribution, and the macroscopic electrical resistance of the aged surface as a function of exposure time. A pore corrosion numerical model was used to predict bothmore » the growth of copper sulfide corrosion product which blooms through defects in the gold layer and the resulting electrical contact resistance of the aged surface. Assumptions about the distribution of defects in the noble metal plating and the mechanism for how corrosion blooms affect electrical contact resistance were needed to complete the numerical model. Comparisons are made to the experimentally observed number density of corrosion sites, the size distribution of corrosion product blooms, and the cumulative probability distribution of the electrical contact resistance. Experimentally, the bloom site density increases as a function of time, whereas the bloom size distribution remains relatively independent of time. These two effects are included in the numerical model by adding a corrosion initiation probability proportional to the surface area along with a probability for bloom-growth extinction proportional to the corrosion product bloom volume. The cumulative probability distribution of electrical resistance becomes skewed as exposure time increases. While the electrical contact resistance increases as a function of time for a fraction of the bloom population, the median value remains relatively unchanged. In order to model this behavior, the resistance calculated for large blooms has been weighted more heavily.« less

  15. Oxidation of ammonium sulfite by a multi-needle-to-plate gas phase pulsed corona discharge reactor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ren, Hua; Lu, Na; Shang, Kefeng; Li, Jie; Wu, Yan

    2013-03-01

    The oxidation of ammonium sulfite in the ammonia-based flue gas desulfurization (FGD) process was investigated in a multi-needle-to-plate gas phase pulsed corona discharge reactor in this paper. The effect of several parameters, including capacitance and peak pulse voltage of discharge system, electrode gap and bubbling gas flow rate on the oxidation rate of ammonium sulfite was reviewed. The oxidation rate of ammonium sulfite could reach 47.2% at the capacitance, the peak pulse voltage, electrode gap and bubbling gas flow rate equal to 2 nF, -24.6 k V, 35 mm and 4 L min-1 within treatment time of 40 min The experimental results indicate that the gas phase pulsed discharge system with a multi-needle-to-plate electrode can oxide the ammonium sulfite. The oxidation rate increased with the applied capacitance and peak pulse voltage and decreased with the electrode gap. As the bubbling gas flow rate increased, the oxidation rate increased first and then tended to reach a stationary value. These results would be important for the process optimization of the (NH4)2SO3 to (NH4)2SO4 oxidation.

  16. Limited fitness costs of herbicide-resistance traits in Amaranthus tuberculatus facilitate resistance evolution

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The fitness cost of herbicide resistance (HR) in the absence of herbicide selection plays a key role in HR evolution. Quantifying the fitness cost of resistance, however, is challenging, and there exists a knowledge gap in this area. A synthetic Amaranthus tuberculatus population segregating for fiv...

  17. Asthenospheric outflow from the shrinking Philippine Sea Plate: Evidence from Hf-Nd isotopes of southern Mariana lavas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ribeiro, Julia M.; Stern, Robert J.; Martinez, Fernando; Woodhead, Jon; Chen, Min; Ohara, Yasuhiko

    2017-11-01

    At subduction zones, sinking of the downgoing lithosphere is thought to enable a return flow of asthenospheric mantle around the slab edges, so that the asthenosphere from underneath the slab invades the ambient mantle flowing underneath the volcanic arc and the backarc basin. For instance at the northern end of the Lau Basin, trench retreat and slab rollback enable toroidal return flow of Samoan mantle beneath a transform margin to provide a supply of fresh, undepleted Indian mantle that feeds the backarc spreading center. Questions, however, arise about the sense of mantle flow when plate kinematics predict that the trench is advancing, as seen in the Mariana convergent margin. Does the mantle flow in or does it escape outward through slab tears or gaps? Here, we address the origin and sense of asthenospheric mantle flow supplying the southern Mariana convergent margin, a region of strong extension occurring above the subducting Pacific plate. Does the asthenosphere flow northward, from underneath the Pacific plate and Caroline hotspot through a slab tear or gap, or does it flow outward from the Mariana Trough, which possesses a characteristic Indian Ocean isotopic signature? To address these questions, we integrate geodetic data along with new Hf-Nd isotopic data for fresh basaltic lavas from three tectonic provinces in the southernmost Marianas: the Fina Nagu volcanic complex, the Malaguana-Gadao backarc spreading ridge and the SE Mariana forearc rift. Our results indicate that Indian mantle flows outward and likely escapes through slab tears or gaps to accommodate shrinking of the Philippine Sea plate. We thus predict that asthenospheric flow around the Pacific slab at the southern Mariana Trench is opposite to that predicted by most subduction-driven mantle flow models.

  18. Method for preparing surfaces of metal composites having a brittle phase for plating. [Patent application

    DOEpatents

    Coates, C.W.; Wilson, T.J.

    1982-05-19

    The present invention is directed to a method for preparing surfaces of two-phase metal composites having relatively brittle and malleable components for plating with corrosion-resistant material. In practice of the present invention, the surfaces of the composite are etched to remove a major portion or fraction of the brittle component. The etched surface is then peened with particulates for breaking the brittle component from the surfaces and for spreading or smearing the malleable component over the surfaces. The peened surface is then chemically cleaned of residual traces of the brittle component to which the corrosion-resistant material may be plated thereon in an adherent manner.

  19. Application of laser ranging and VLBI data to a study of plate tectonic driving forces. [finite element method

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Solomon, S. C.

    1980-01-01

    The measurability of changes in plate driving or resistive forces associated with plate boundary earthquakes by laser rangefinding or VLBI is considered with emphasis on those aspects of plate forces that can be characterized by such measurements. Topics covered include: (1) analytic solutions for two dimensional stress diffusion in a plate following earthquake faulting on a finite fault; (2) two dimensional finite-element solutions for the global state of stress at the Earth's surface for possible plate driving forces; and (3) finite-element solutions for three dimensional stress diffusion in a viscoelastic Earth following earthquake faulting.

  20. Double coating protection of Nd-Fe-B magnets: Intergranular phosphating treatment and copper plating

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Jingwu; Chen, Haibo; Qiao, Liang; Lin, Min; Jiang, Liqiang; Che, Shenglei; Hu, Yangwu

    2014-12-01

    In this work, a double coating protection technique of phosphating treatment and copper plating was made to improve the corrosion resistance of sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets. In other words, the intergranular region of sintered Nd-Fe-B is allowed to generate passive phosphate conversion coating through phosphating treatment, followed by the copper coating on the surface of sintered Nd-Fe-B. The morphology and corrosion resistance of the phosphated sintered Nd-Fe-B were observed using SEM and electrochemical method respectively. The phosphate conversion coating was formed more preferably on the intergranular region of sintered Nd-Fe-B than on the main crystal region; just after a short time of phosphating treatment, the intergranular region of sintered Nd-Fe-B has been covered by the phosphate conversion coating and the corrosion resistance is significantly improved. With the synergistic protection of the intergranular phosphorization and the followed copper electrodeposition, the corrosion resistance of the sintered Nd-Fe-B is significantly better than that with a single phosphate film or single plating protection.

  1. Formulas for the elastic constants of plates with integral waffle-like stiffening

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dow, Norris R; Libove, Charles; Hubka, Ralph E

    1954-01-01

    Formulas are derived for the fifteen elastic constants associated with bending, stretching, twisting, and shearing of plates with closely spaced integral ribbing in a variety of configurations and proportions. In the derivation the plates are considered, conceptually, as more uniform orthotropic plates somewhat on the order of plywood. The constants, which include the effectiveness of the ribs for resisting deformations other than bending and stretching in their longitudinal directions, are defined in terms of four coefficients, and theoretical and experimental methods for the evaluation of these coefficients are discussed. Four of the more important elastic constants are predicted by these formulas and are compared with test results. Good correlation is obtained. (author)

  2. Slab dragging and the recent geodynamic evolution of the western Mediterranean plate boundary region

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spakman, Wim; Chertova, Maria V.; van den Berg, Arie P.; Thieulot, Cedric; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.

    2016-04-01

    The Tortonian-Present geodynamic evolution of the plate boundary between North Africa and Iberia is characterized by first-order enigmas. This concerns, e.g., the diffuse tectonic activity of the plate boundary; the crustal thickening below the Rif; the closing of the northern Moroccan marine gateways prior to the Messinian Salinity Crisis; crustal extension of the central to eastern Betics; the origin and sense of motion of the large left-lateral Trans Alboran Shear Zone (TASZ) and Eastern Betic Shear Zone (EBSZ); and lithosphere delamination of the North African continental edge. Many explanations have been given for each of these seemingly disparate tectonic features, which invariably have been addressed in the plate tectonic context of the NW-SE relative plate convergence between the major plates since the Tortonian, mostly independently from each other. Usually there is no clear role for the subducted slab underlying the region, except for presumed rollback, either to SW or to the W, depending on the type of observations that require explanation. Here we integrate the dynamic role of the slab with the NW-SE relative plate convergence by 3-D numerical modelling of the slab evolution constrained by absolute plate motions (Chertova et al., JGR,2014 & Gcubed 2014). By combining observations and predictions from seismology, geology, and geodesy, with our numerical 3-D slab-mantle dynamics modelling, we developed a new and promising geodynamic framework that provides explanations of all noted tectonic enigmas in a coherent and connected way. From the Tortonian until today, we propose that mantle-resisted slab dragging combines with the NW-SE plate convergence across the (largely) unbroken plate boundary to drive the crustal deformation of the region. Slab dragging is the lateral transport, pushing or pulling, of slab through the mantle by the absolute motion of the subducting plate (Chertova et al., Gcubed, 2014). Because the slab is connected to both the Iberian

  3. Superconducting gap of the single crystal β-PdBi2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matsuzaki, H.; Nagai, K.; Kase, N.; Nakano, T.; Takeda, N.

    2017-07-01

    We investigate superconducting and normal properties of the single crystal of β-PdBi2. The electrical resistivity ρ(T) shows superconductivity at Tc = 5.0 K. Residual resistivity ratio (RRR) is estimated to be 2.9 obtained from ρ(300 K)/ρ(5.0 K). The H c2 curve obtained from ρ(T) in magnetic fields shows cleat enhancement from the Wertharmer-Helfand-Hohenberg theory in dirty limit. Specific heat C(T) measurement shows that clear jump is observed at T c = 4.8 K. T-dependence of the electronic specific heat C e(T) suggests full-gap symmetry with a single gap and strong coupling with ΔC e/γT c = 1.8.

  4. Scale-up of Carbon/Carbon Bipolar Plates

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

    David P. Haack

    2009-04-08

    This project was focused upon developing a unique material technology for use in PEM fuel cell bipolar plates. The carbon/carbon composite material developed in this program is uniquely suited for use in fuel cell systems, as it is lightweight, highly conductive and corrosion resistant. The project further focused upon developing the manufacturing methodology to cost-effectively produce this material for use in commercial fuel cell systems. United Technology Fuel Cells Corp., a leading fuel cell developer was a subcontractor to the project was interested in the performance and low-cost potential of the material. The accomplishments of the program included the developmentmore » and testing of a low-cost, fully molded, net-shape carbon-carbon bipolar plate. The process to cost-effectively manufacture these carbon-carbon bipolar plates was focused on extensively in this program. Key areas for cost-reduction that received attention in this program was net-shape molding of the detailed flow structures according to end-user design. Correlations between feature detail and process parameters were formed so that mold tooling could be accurately designed to meet a variety of flow field dimensions. A cost model was developed that predicted the cost of manufacture for the product in near-term volumes and long-term volumes (10+ million units per year). Because the roduct uses lowcost raw materials in quantities that are less than competitive tech, it was found that the cost of the product in high volume can be less than with other plate echnologies, and can meet the DOE goal of $4/kW for transportation applications. The excellent performance of the all-carbon plate in net shape was verified in fuel cell testing. Performance equivalent to much higher cost, fully machined graphite plates was found.« less

  5. Biocompatibility and Biocorrosion of Hydroxyapatite-Coated Magnesium Plate: Animal Experiment.

    PubMed

    Lim, Ho-Kyung; Byun, Soo-Hwan; Woo, Jae-Man; Kim, Sae-Mi; Lee, Sung-Mi; Kim, Bong-Ju; Kim, Hyoun-Ee; Lee, Jung-Woo; Kim, Soung-Min; Lee, Jong-Ho

    2017-09-30

    Magnesium (Mg) has the advantage of being resorbed in vivo, but its resorption rate is difficult to control. With uncontrolled resorption, Magnesium as a bone fixation material has minimal clinical value. During resorption not only is the strength rapidly weakened, but rapid formation of metabolite also occurs. In order to overcome these disadvantages, hydroxyapatite (HA) surface coating of pure magnesium plate was attempted in this study. Magnesium plates were inserted above the frontal bone of Sprague-Dawley rats in both the control group (Bare-Mg group) and the experimental group (HA-Mg group). The presence of inflammation, infection, hydrogen gas formation, wound dehiscence, and/or plate exposure was observed, blood tests were performed, and the resorption rate and tensile strength of the retrieved metal plates were measured. The HA-Mg group showed no gas formation or plate exposure until week 12. However, the Bare-Mg group showed consistent gas formation and plate exposure beginning in week 2. WBC (White Blood Cell), BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen), Creatinine, and serum magnesium concentration levels were within normal range in both groups. AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase) and ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase) values, however, were above normal range in some animals of both groups. The HA-Mg group showed statistically significant advantage in resistance to degradation compared to the Bare-Mg group in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12. Degradation of HA-Mg plates proceeded after week 12. Coating magnesium plates with hydroxyapatite may be a viable method to maintain their strength long enough to allow bony healing and to control the resorption rate during the initial period.

  6. Investigation of the decolorization efficiency of two pin-to-plate corona discharge plasma system for industrial wastewater treatment

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

    El-Tayeb, A., E-mail: ahmed.khalil@ejust.edu.eg; El-Shazly, A. H.; Elkady, M. F.

    In this article, a dual pin-to-plate high-voltage corona discharge system is introduced to study experimentally the gap distance, the contact time, the effect of pin and plate materials, the thickness of ground plate and the conductivity on the amount of Acid Blue 25 dye color removal efficiency from polluted water. A study for the optimum air gap distance between dual pin and surface of Acid Blue 25 dye solution is carried out using 3D-EM simulator to find maximum electric field intensity at the tip of both pins. The outcomes display that the best gap for corona discharge is approximately 5more » mm for 15-kV source. This separation is constant during the study of other factors. In addition, an investigation of the essential reactive species responsible for oxidation of the dye organic compounds (O{sub 3} in air discharge, O{sub 3} in water, and H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) during the experimental time is conducted. Three various materials such as: stainless steel, copper and aluminum are used for pins and plate. The maximum color removal efficiencies of Acid Blue 25 dyes are 99.03, 82.04, and 90.78% after treatment time 15 min for stainless steel, copper, and aluminum, respectively. Measurement results for the impact of thickness of an aluminum ground plate on color removal competence show color removal efficiencies of 86.3, 90.78, and 98.06% after treatment time 15 min for thicknesses of 2, 0.5, and 0.1 mm, respectively. The increasing of the solution conductivity leads to the reduction of decolorization efficiency. A kinetic model is used to define the performance of corona discharge system. The models of pseudo-zero-order, pseudo-first-order, and pseudo-second-order reaction kinetics are utilized to investigate the decolorization of Acid Blue 25 dye. The rate of degradation of Acid Blue 25 dye follows the pseudo-first-order kinetics in the dye concentration.« less

  7. A Quad-Cantilevered Plate micro-sensor for intracranial pressure measurement.

    PubMed

    Lalkov, Vasko; Qasaimeh, Mohammad A

    2017-07-01

    This paper proposes a new design for pressure-sensing micro-plate platform to bring higher sensitivity to a pressure sensor based on piezoresistive MEMS sensing mechanism. The proposed design is composed of a suspended plate having four stepped cantilever beams connected to its corners, and thus defined as Quad-Cantilevered Plate (QCP). Finite element analysis was performed to determine the optimal design for sensitivity and structural stability under a range of applied forces. Furthermore, a piezoresistive analysis was performed to calculate sensor sensitivity. Both the maximum stress and the change in resistance of the piezoresistor associated with the QCP were found to be higher compared to previously published designs, and linearly related to the applied pressure as desired. Therefore, the QCP demonstrates greater sensitivity, and could be potentially used as an efficient pressure sensor for intracranial pressure measurement.

  8. Application of atomic layer deposited microchannel plates to imaging photodetectors with high time resolution

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

    Siegmund, O. H. W.; McPhate, J. B.; Tremsin, A. S.

    Novel microchannel plates have been constructed using borosilicate glass micro-capillary array substrates with 20 mu m and 10 mu m pores and coated with resistive, and secondary electron emissive, layers by atomic layer deposition. Microchannel plates in 33 mm, 50 mm and 20 cm square formats have been made and tested. Although their amplification, imaging, and timing properties are comparable to standard glass microchannel plates, the background rates and lifetime characteristics are considerably improved. Sealed tube detectors based on the Planacon tube, and a 25 mm cross delay line readout tube with a GaN(Mg) opaque photocathode deposited on borosilicate microchannelmore » plates have been fabricated. Considerable progress has also been made with 20 cm microchannel plates for a 20 cm format sealed tube sensor with strip-line readout that is being developed for Cherenkov light detection.« less

  9. Composite and Component Plates, Plate Non-rigidity, and the Steadiness of Plate Motion From Marine Geophysical and Space Geodetic Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gordon, R. G.; Argus, D. F.; DeMets, C.

    2017-12-01

    Plate tectonic theory has evolved since its birth 50 years ago. In particular, we now recognize that some of the originally proposed plates such as the Indo-Australia plate, the Africa plate, and the America plate are what we term "composite" plates—entities that contain no traditionally defined narrow plate boundaries, but are composed of multiple approximately rigid regions, which we term "component" plates, separated by diffuse plate boundaries. The best example of a composite plate is the Indo-Australia composite plate, which consists of the India, Capricorn, Australia, and Macquarie component plates and multiple intervening diffuse oceanic plate boundaries. The poles of relative rotation between component plates tend to lie in their mutual diffuse plate boundary. Outside of diffuse boundaries, plate rigidity has proven to be an excellent approximation, but the non-closure of some plate circuits indicates that stable plate interiors have a small but significant non-rigidity that may add up to 1 to 2 mm/a across any individual plate and may be partly due to horizontal thermal contraction of oceanic lithosphere. The greatest observational challenge to plate rigidity is posed by the Pacific-Cocos-Nazca plate circuit, which fails closure by 15 ±4 mm/a. The most rapid deformation of the plates observed with space geodesy is generated by solid Earth's viscous response to unloading of the late Pleistocene ice sheets. Differences between different realizations of global plate velocities from space geodesy appear in some cases to be due to differing assumptions about the motion of the geocenter, which affects estimated plate relative angular velocities and estimated vertical motion at geodetic sites. Comparison of space geodetic and marine geophysical plate motion rates and directions has demonstrated that plate motion is nearly steady, which allows plate boundary conditions to be applied to inter-seismic strain accumulation due to locking of specific faults. In

  10. Reconstructing the Alps-Carpathians-Dinarides as a key to understanding switches in subduction polarity, slab gaps and surface motion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Handy, Mark R.; Ustaszewski, Kamil; Kissling, Eduard

    2015-01-01

    Palinspastic map reconstructions and plate motion studies reveal that switches in subduction polarity and the opening of slab gaps beneath the Alps and Dinarides were triggered by slab tearing and involved widespread intracrustal and crust-mantle decoupling during Adria-Europe collision. In particular, the switch from south-directed European subduction to north-directed "wrong-way" Adriatic subduction beneath the Eastern Alps was preconditioned by two slab-tearing events that were continuous in Cenozoic time: (1) late Eocene to early Oligocene rupturing of the oppositely dipping European and Adriatic slabs; these ruptures nucleated along a trench-trench transfer fault connecting the Alps and Dinarides; (2) Oligocene to Miocene steepening and tearing of the remaining European slab under the Eastern Alps and western Carpathians, while subduction of European lithosphere continued beneath the Western and Central Alps. Following the first event, post-late Eocene NW motion of the Adriatic Plate with respect to Europe opened a gap along the Alps-Dinarides transfer fault which was filled with upwelling asthenosphere. The resulting thermal erosion of the lithosphere led to the present slab gap beneath the northern Dinarides. This upwelling also weakened the upper plate of the easternmost part of the Alpine orogen and induced widespread crust-mantle decoupling, thus facilitating Pannonian extension and roll-back subduction of the Carpathian oceanic embayment. The second slab-tearing event triggered uplift and peneplainization in the Eastern Alps while opening a second slab gap, still present between the Eastern and Central Alps, that was partly filled by northward counterclockwise subduction of previously unsubducted Adriatic continental lithosphere. In Miocene time, Adriatic subduction thus jumped westward from the Dinarides into the heart of the Alpine orogen, where northward indentation and wedging of Adriatic crust led to rapid exhumation and orogen-parallel escape of

  11. Closing the Attainment Gap--A Realistic Proposition or an Elusive Pipe-Dream?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mowat, Joan Gaynor

    2018-01-01

    The attainment gap associated with socio-economic status is an international problem that is highly resistant to change. This conceptual paper critiques the drive by the Scottish Government to address the attainment gap through the Scottish Attainment Challenge and the National Improvement Framework. It draws upon a range of theoretical…

  12. Subduction of aseismic ridges beneath the Caribbean Plate: Implications for the tectonics and seismic potential of the northeastern Caribbean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCann, William R.; Sykes, Lynn R.

    1984-06-01

    island arc volcanism occurred in Late Miocene time along the northern half of the Lesser Antilles. We postulate that the subduction of a segment of seafloor of anomolously thick crust, being more buoyant than adjacent seafloor, resulted in a marked shoaling in the dip of the descending slab and, therefore, a shift of the locus of volcanism. In the region near western Puerto Rico and eastern Hispanolia, Plio-Pleistocene interaction with a similar feature, in this case a part of the Bahama Platform, about 3-4 m.y. ago led to a jump in the locus of subduction as evidenced by a gap in the downgoing seismic zone. That segment of the Bahama Platform interferred with the subduction process and was subsequently sutured onto the Caribbean plate when the boundary jumped about 60 km to the northeast. The maximum size of historic shallow earthquakes along the Lesser Antillean arc varies from about 7.0-7.5 in the center of the arc where the dip of the shallow part of the plate boundary is steep to 8.0-8.5 along the northern part of the arc where the dip is shallow. The interaction of anomalous seafloor, as along the northern Lesser Antilles, can lead to the development of a wider than normal zone of interplate contact and hence to earthquakes that are larger than those associated with more typical seafloor entering subduction zones. Major seismic gaps and regions of high seismic potential currently exist along the northern Lesser Antilles and to the north of Puerto Rico. Both gaps are bounded by anomalous features on the downgoing plate. The intersection of these features with the plate boundary created large asperities that may be good places to search for precursors to future large earthquakes. A great shock in 1787 may have ruptured an existing seismic gap north of Puerto Rico between 65° and 67°W. Thus that gap can be expected to eventually rupture again in a great shock and not to accommodate plate motion by totally aseismic processes.

  13. Locked plating of comminuted distal femur fractures: does unlocked screw placement affect stability and failure?

    PubMed

    Cui, Shari; Bledsoe, J G; Israel, Heidi; Watson, J T; Cannada, Lisa K

    2014-02-01

    Locked plates provide greater stiffness, possibly at the expense of fracture healing. The purpose of this study is to evaluate construct stiffness of distal femur plates as a function of unlocked screw position in cadaveric distal femur fractures. Osteoporotic cadaveric femurs were used. Four diaphyseal bridge plate constructs were created using 13-hole distal femur locking plates, all with identical condylar fixation. Constructs included all locked (AL), all unlocked (AUL), proximal unlocked (PUL), and distally unlocked (DUL) groups. Constructs underwent cyclic axial loading with increasing force per interval. Data were gathered on axial stiffness, torsional stiffness, maximum torque required for 5-degree external rotation, and axial force to failure. Twenty-one specimens were divided into AL, AUL, PUL, and DUL groups. Axial stiffness was not significantly different between the constructs. AL and PUL demonstrated greater torsional stiffness, maximum torque, and force to failure than AUL and AL showed greater final torsional stiffness and failure force than DUL (P < 0.05). AL and PUL had similar axial, torsion, and failure measures, as did AUL and DUL constructs. All but 2 specimens fractured before medial gap closure during failure tests. Drop-offs on load-displacement curves confirmed all failures. Only the screw nearest the gap had significant effect on torsional and failure stiffness but not axial stiffness. Construct mechanics depended on the type of screw placed in this position. This screw nearest the fracture dictates working length stiffness when the working length itself is constant and in turn determines overall construct stiffness in osteoporotic bone.

  14. The Interpretation of Crustal Dynamics Data in Terms of Plate Interactions and Active Tectonics of the Anatolian Plate and Surrounding Regions in the Middle East

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Toksoz, M. Nafi; Reilinger, Robert E.

    1990-01-01

    During the past 6 months, efforts were concentrated on the following areas: (1) Continued development of realistic, finite element modeling of plate interactions and associated deformation in the Eastern Mediterranean; (2) Neotectonic field investigations of seismic faulting along the active fault systems in Turkey with emphasis on identifying seismic gaps along the North Anatolian fault; and (3) Establishment of a GPS regional monitoring network in the zone of ongoing continental collision in eastern Turkey (supported in part by NSF).

  15. Buckling behavior of long symmetrically laminated plates subjected to combined loadings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nemeth, Michael P.

    1992-01-01

    A parametric study is presented of the buckling behavior of infinitely long, symmetrically laminated anisotropic plates subjected to combined loadings. The loading conditions considered are axial tension and compression transverse tension and compression, and shear. Results obtained using a special-purpose analysis, well-suited for parametric studies, are presented for clamped and simply supported plates. Moreover, results are presented for some common laminate constructions, and generic buckling design charts are presented for a wide range of parameters. The generic design charts are presented in terms of useful nondimensional parameters, and the dependence of the nondimensional parameters on laminate fiber orientation, stacking sequence, and material properties is discussed. An important finding of the study is that the effects of anisotropy are much more pronounced in shear-loaded plates than in compression-loaded plates. In addition, the effects of anisotropy on plates subjected to combined loadings are generally manifested as a phase shift of self-similar buckling interaction curves. A practical application of this phase shift is that the buckling resistance of long plates can be improved by applying a shear loading with a specific orientation. In all cases considered in the study, the buckling coefficients of infinitely long plates are found to be independent of the bending stiffness ratio (D sub 11/D sub 22)(1/4).

  16. The relationship between air layers and evaporative resistance of male Chinese ethnic clothing.

    PubMed

    Wang, Faming; Peng, Hui; Shi, Wen

    2016-09-01

    In this study, the air layer distribution and evaporative resistances of 39 sets of male Chinese ethnic clothing were investigated using a sweating thermal manikin and the three-dimensional (3D) body scanning technique. Relationships between the evaporative resistance and air layers (i.e., air gap thickness and air volume) were explored. The results demonstrated that the clothing total evaporative resistance increases with the increasing air gap size/air volume, but the rate of increase gradually decreases as the mean air gap size or the total air volume becomes larger. The clothing total evaporative resistance reaches its maximum when the average air gap size and the total air volume are 41.6 mm and 69.9 dm(3), respectively. Similar general trends were also found between local mean air gap size and clothing local evaporative resistance at different body parts. However, different body parts show varied rates of increase and decrease in the local evaporative resistance. The research findings provide a comprehensive database for predicting overall and local human thermal comfort while wearing male Chinese ethnic clothing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Subwavelength and directional control of flexural waves in zone-folding induced topological plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chaunsali, Rajesh; Chen, Chun-Wei; Yang, Jinkyu

    2018-02-01

    Inspired by the quantum spin Hall effect shown by topological insulators, we propose a plate structure that can be used to demonstrate the pseudospin Hall effect for flexural waves. The system consists of a thin plate with periodically arranged resonators mounted on its top surface. We extend a technique based on the plane-wave expansion method to identify a double Dirac cone emerging due to the zone-folding in frequency band structures. This particular design allows us to move the double Dirac cone to a lower frequency than the resonating frequency of local resonators. We then manipulate the pattern of local resonators to open subwavelength Bragg band gaps that are topologically distinct. Building on this method, we verify numerically that a waveguide at an interface between two topologically distinct resonating plate structures can be used for guiding low-frequency, spin-dependent one-way flexural waves along a desired path with bends.

  18. A new parallel plate shear cell for in situ real-space measurements of complex fluids under shear flow.

    PubMed

    Wu, Yu Ling; Brand, Joost H J; van Gemert, Josephus L A; Verkerk, Jaap; Wisman, Hans; van Blaaderen, Alfons; Imhof, Arnout

    2007-10-01

    We developed and tested a parallel plate shear cell that can be mounted on top of an inverted microscope to perform confocal real-space measurements on complex fluids under shear. To follow structural changes in time, a plane of zero velocity is created by letting the plates move in opposite directions. The location of this plane is varied by changing the relative velocities of the plates. The gap width is variable between 20 and 200 microm with parallelism better than 1 microm. Such a small gap width enables us to examine the total sample thickness using high numerical aperture objective lenses. The achieved shear rates cover the range of 0.02-10(3) s(-1). This shear cell can apply an oscillatory shear with adjustable amplitude and frequency. The maximum travel of each plate equals 1 cm, so that strains up to 500 can be applied. For most complex fluids, an oscillatory shear with such a large amplitude can be regarded as a continuous shear. We measured the flow profile of a suspension of silica colloids in this shear cell. It was linear except for a small deviation caused by sedimentation. To demonstrate the excellent performance and capabilities of this new setup we examined shear induced crystallization and melting of concentrated suspensions of 1 microm diameter silica colloids.

  19. Development of a Titanium Plate for Mandibular Angle Fractures with a Bone Defect in the Lower Border: Finite Element Analysis and Mechanical Test

    PubMed Central

    Goulart, Douglas Rangel; Kemmoku, Daniel Takanori; Noritomi, Pedro Yoshito

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objectives The aim of the present study was to develop a plate to treat mandibular angle fractures using the finite element method and mechanical testing. Material and Methods A three-dimensional model of a fractured mandible was generated using Rhinoceros 4.0 software. The models were exported to ANSYS®, in which a static application of displacement (3 mm) was performed in the first molar region. Three groups were assessed according to the method of internal fixation (2 mm system): two non-locking plates; two locking plates and a new design locking plate. The computational model was transferred to an in vitro experiment with polyurethane mandibles. Each group contained five samples and was subjected to a linear loading test in a universal testing machine. Results A balanced distribution of stress was associated with the new plate design. This plate modified the mechanical behavior of the fractured region, with less displacement between the fractured segments. In the mechanical test, the group with two locking plates exhibited greater resistance to the 3 mm displacement, with a statistically significant difference when compared with the new plate group (ANOVA, P = 0.016). Conclusions The new plate exhibited a more balanced distribution of stress. However, the group with two locking plates exhibited greater mechanical resistance. PMID:26539287

  20. The effect of high-power plasma flows on tungsten plates with multilayer films of tungsten nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gorokhov, M. V.; Kozhevin, V. M.; Yavsin, D. A.; Voronin, A. V.; Gurevich, S. A.

    2017-04-01

    We have experimentally studied the action of high-power plasma flows on pure tungsten plates covered with multilayer films of tungsten nanoparticles formed by the method of laser electrodeposition. The samples were irradiated using a plasma gun producing hydrogen (helium) plasma flows with power density up to 35 GW/cm2. The resulting surface morphology was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM data showed that tungsten plates coated by nanoparticles are more resistant to the formation of microcracks than are pure tungsten plates.

  1. Biomechanical Evaluation of Standard Versus Extended Proximal Fixation Olecranon Plates for Fixation of Olecranon Fractures.

    PubMed

    Boden, Allison L; Daly, Charles A; Dalwadi, Poonam P; Boden, Stephanie A; Hutton, William C; Muppavarapu, Raghuveer C; Gottschalk, Michael B

    2018-01-01

    Small olecranon fractures present a significant challenge for fixation, which has resulted in development of plates with proximal extension. Olecranon-specific plates with proximal extensions are widely thought to offer superior fixation of small proximal fragments but have distinct disadvantages: larger dissection, increased hardware prominence, and the increased possibility of impingement. Previous biomechanical studies of olecranon fracture fixation have compared methods of fracture fixation, but to date there have been no studies defining olecranon plate fixation strength for standard versus extended olecranon plates. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the biomechanical utility of the extended plate for treatment of olecranon fractures. Sixteen matched pairs of fresh-frozen human cadaveric elbows were used. Of the 16, 8 matched pairs received a transverse osteotomy including 25% and 8 including 50% of the articular surface on the proximal fragment. One elbow from each pair was randomly assigned to a standard-length plate, and the other elbow in the pair received the extended-length plate, for fixation of the fracture. The ulnae were cyclically loaded and subsequently loaded to failure, with ultimate load, number of cycles, and gap formation recorded. There was no statistically significant difference between the standard and extended fixation plates in simple transverse fractures at either 25% or 50% from the proximal most portion of the articular surface of the olecranon. Standard fixation plates are sufficient for the fixation of small transverse fractures, but caution should be utilized particularly with comminution and nontransverse fracture patterns.

  2. Comminuted supracondylar femoral fractures: a biomechanical analysis comparing the stability of medial versus lateral plating in axial loading.

    PubMed

    Briffa, Nikolai; Karthickeyan, Raju; Jacob, Joshua; Khaleel, Arshad

    2016-11-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the biomechanical properties of medial and lateral plating of a medially comminuted supracondylar femoral fracture. A supracondylar femoral fracture model comparing two fixation methods was tested cyclically in axial loading. One-centimetre supracondylar gap osteotomies were created in six synthetic femurs approximately 6 cm proximal to the knee joint. There were two constructs investigated: group 1 and group 2 were stabilized with an 8-hole LC-DCP, medially and laterally, respectively. Both construct groups were axially loaded. Global displacement (total length), wedge displacement, bending moment and strain were measured. Medial plating showed a significantly decreased displacement, bending moment and strain at the fracture site in axial loading. Medial plating of a comminuted supracondylar femur fracture is more stable than lateral plating.

  3. Multimaterial lamination as a means of retarding penetration and spallation failures in plates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dibattista, J. D.; Humes, D. H.

    1972-01-01

    Experimental data are presented which show that hypervelocity impact spallation and penetration failures of a single solid aluminum plate and of a solid aluminum plate spaced a distance behind a Whipple meteor bumper may be retarded by replacing the solid aluminum plate with a laminated plate. Four sets of experiments were conducted. The first set of experiments was conducted with projectile mass and velocity held constant and with polycarbonate cylinders impacted into single plates of different construction. The second set of experiments was done with single plates of various construction and aluminum spherical projectiles of similar mass but different velocities. These two experiments showed that a laminated plate of aluminum and polycarbonate or aluminum and methyl methacrylate could prevent spallation and penetration failures with a lower areal density than either an all-aluminum laminated plate or a solid aluminum plate. The aluminum laminated plate was in turn superior to the solid aluminum plate in resisting spallation and penetration failures. In addition, through an example of 6061-T6 aluminum and methyl methacrylate, it is shown that a laminated structure ballistically superior to its parent materials may be built. The last two sets of experiments were conducted using bumper-protected main walls of solid aluminum and of laminated aluminum and polycarbonate. Again, under hypervelocity impact conditions, the laminated main walls were superior to the solid aluminum main walls in retarding spallation and penetration failures.

  4. Progress and gaps in understanding mechanisms of ash tree resistance to emerald ash borer, a model for wood-boring insects that kill angiosperms.

    PubMed

    Villari, Caterina; Herms, Daniel A; Whitehill, Justin G A; Cipollini, Don; Bonello, Pierluigi

    2016-01-01

    We review the literature on host resistance of ash to emerald ash borer (EAB, Agrilus planipennis), an invasive species that causes widespread mortality of ash. Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandshurica), which coevolved with EAB, is more resistant than evolutionarily naïve North American and European congeners. Manchurian ash was less preferred for adult feeding and oviposition than susceptible hosts, more resistant to larval feeding, had higher constitutive concentrations of bark lignans, coumarins, proline, tyramine and defensive proteins, and was characterized by faster oxidation of phenolics. Consistent with EAB being a secondary colonizer of coevolved hosts, drought stress decreased the resistance of Manchurian ash, but had no effect on constitutive bark phenolics, suggesting that they do not contribute to increased susceptibility in response to drought stress. The induced resistance of North American species to EAB in response to the exogenous application of methyl jasmonate was associated with increased bark concentrations of verbascoside, lignin and/or trypsin inhibitors, which decreased larval survival and/or growth in bioassays. This finding suggests that these inherently susceptible species possess latent defenses that are not induced naturally by larval colonization, perhaps because they fail to recognize larval cues or respond quickly enough. Finally, we propose future research directions that would address some critical knowledge gaps. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

  5. Glow discharge plasma pretreatment enhances osteoclast differentiation and survival on titanium plates.

    PubMed

    Kawai, Hiroyuki; Shibata, Yo; Miyazaki, Takashi

    2004-05-01

    Despite the fact that several reports have demonstrated osteoclast activity on various bioactive ceramics, osteoclast functions on surface-modified titanium have not come under focus. This study aimed to examine whether the increasing surface energy of glow discharge plasma (GDP) involved in protein adhesion containing the RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) sequence affects osteoclast responses on titanium plates. We examined osteoclast differentiation and survival rates on titanium plates with and without GDP. The amounts of osteoclasts on titanium plates were not increased by GDP after 1 week. However, osteoclast differentiation was greatly activated by GDP pretreatment, as tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase synthesis significantly increased on the titanium plates with GDP. Additionally, since the presence of osteoclasts was detected only on the titanium plates with GDP, even after 4h cultivation in a coculture test, the osteoclasts survival rate was increased by GDP pretreatment. As osteoclast responses were affected even on surface modified metallic materials, we concluded that novel approaches are needed not only for osteoclastic resorption on ceramic materials but also for osteoclast responses on surface-modified metallic materials.

  6. Enabling fast charging - A battery technology gap assessment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahmed, Shabbir; Bloom, Ira; Jansen, Andrew N.; Tanim, Tanvir; Dufek, Eric J.; Pesaran, Ahmad; Burnham, Andrew; Carlson, Richard B.; Dias, Fernando; Hardy, Keith; Keyser, Matthew; Kreuzer, Cory; Markel, Anthony; Meintz, Andrew; Michelbacher, Christopher; Mohanpurkar, Manish; Nelson, Paul A.; Robertson, David C.; Scoffield, Don; Shirk, Matthew; Stephens, Thomas; Vijayagopal, Ram; Zhang, Jiucai

    2017-11-01

    The battery technology literature is reviewed, with an emphasis on key elements that limit extreme fast charging. Key gaps in existing elements of the technology are presented as well as developmental needs. Among these needs are advanced models and methods to detect and prevent lithium plating; new positive-electrode materials which are less prone to stress-induced failure; better electrode designs to accommodate very rapid diffusion in and out of the electrode; measure temperature distributions during fast charge to enable/validate models; and develop thermal management and pack designs to accommodate the higher operating voltage.

  7. GaAsP on GaP top solar cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mcneely, J. B.; Negley, G. H.; Barnett, A. M.

    1985-01-01

    GaAsP on GaP top solar cells as an attachment to silicon bottom solar cells are being developed. The GaAsP on GaP system offers several advantages for this top solar cell. The most important is that the gallium phosphide substrate provides a rugged, transparent mechanical substrate which does not have to be removed or thinned during processing. Additional advantages are that: (1) gallium phosphide is more oxidation resistant than the III-V aluminum compounds, (2) a range of energy band gaps higher than 1.75 eV is readily available for system efficiency optimization, (3) reliable ohmic contact technology is available from the light-emitting diode industry, and (4) the system readily lends itself to graded band gap structures for additional increases in efficiency.

  8. Use of gamma ray radiation to parallel the plates of a Fabry-Perot interferometer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Skinner, Wilbert R.; Hays, Paul B.; Anderson, Sally M.

    1987-01-01

    The use of gamma radiation to parallel the plates of a Fabry-Perot etalon is examined. The method for determining the etalon parallelism, and the procedure for irradiating the posts are described. Changes in effective gap for the etalon over the surface are utilized to measure the parallelism of the Fabry-Perot etalon. An example in which this technique is applied to an etalon of fused silica plates, which are 132 mm in diameter and coded with zinc sulfide and cryolite, with Zerodur spaces 2 cm in length. The effect of the irradiation of the posts on the thermal performance of the etalon is investigated.

  9. Linking plate reconstructions with deforming lithosphere to geodynamic models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Müller, R. D.; Gurnis, M.; Flament, N.; Seton, M.; Spasojevic, S.; Williams, S.; Zahirovic, S.

    2011-12-01

    While global computational models are rapidly advancing in terms of their capabilities, there is an increasing need for assimilating observations into these models and/or ground-truthing model outputs. The open-source and platform independent GPlates software fills this gap. It was originally conceived as a tool to interactively visualize and manipulate classical rigid plate reconstructions and represent them as time-dependent topological networks of editable plate boundaries. The user can export time-dependent plate velocity meshes that can be used either to define initial surface boundary conditions for geodynamic models or alternatively impose plate motions throughout a geodynamic model run. However, tectonic plates are not rigid, and neglecting plate deformation, especially that of the edges of overriding plates, can result in significant misplacing of plate boundaries through time. A new, substantially re-engineered version of GPlates is now being developed that allows an embedding of deforming plates into topological plate boundary networks. We use geophysical and geological data to define the limit between rigid and deforming areas, and the deformation history of non-rigid blocks. The velocity field predicted by these reconstructions can then be used as a time-dependent surface boundary condition in regional or global 3-D geodynamic models, or alternatively as an initial boundary condition for a particular plate configuration at a given time. For time-dependent models with imposed plate motions (e.g. using CitcomS) we incorporate the continental lithosphere by embedding compositionally distinct crust and continental lithosphere within the thermal lithosphere. We define three isostatic columns of different thickness and buoyancy based on the tectonothermal age of the continents: Archean, Proterozoic and Phanerozoic. In the fourth isostatic column, the oceans, the thickness of the thermal lithosphere is assimilated using a half-space cooling model. We also

  10. Transfer, Imaging, and Analysis Plate for Facile Handling of 384 Hanging Drop 3D Tissue Spheroids

    PubMed Central

    Cavnar, Stephen P.; Salomonsson, Emma; Luker, Kathryn E.; Luker, Gary D.; Takayama, Shuichi

    2014-01-01

    Three-dimensional culture systems bridge the experimental gap between in vivo and in vitro physiology. However, nonstandardized formation and limited downstream adaptability of 3D cultures have hindered mainstream adoption of these systems for biological applications, especially for low- and moderate-throughput assays commonly used in biomedical research. Here we build on our recent development of a 384-well hanging drop plate for spheroid culture to design a complementary spheroid transfer and imaging (TRIM) plate. The low-aspect ratio wells of the TRIM plate facilitated highfidelity, user-independent, contact-based collection of hanging drop spheroids. Using the TRIM plate, we demonstrated several downstream analyses, including bulk tissue collection for flow cytometry, high-resolution low working-distance immersion imaging, and timely reagent delivery for enzymatic studies. Low working-distance multiphoton imaging revealed a cell type–dependent, macroscopic spheroid structure. Unlike ovarian cancer spheroids, which formed loose, disk-shaped spheroids, human mammary fibroblasts formed tight, spherical, and nutrient-limited spheroids. Beyond the applications we describe here, we expect the hanging drop spheroid plate and complementary TRIM plate to facilitate analyses of spheroids across the spectrum of throughput, particularly for bulk collection of spheroids and high-content imaging. PMID:24051516

  11. Transfer, imaging, and analysis plate for facile handling of 384 hanging drop 3D tissue spheroids.

    PubMed

    Cavnar, Stephen P; Salomonsson, Emma; Luker, Kathryn E; Luker, Gary D; Takayama, Shuichi

    2014-04-01

    Three-dimensional culture systems bridge the experimental gap between in vivo and in vitro physiology. However, nonstandardized formation and limited downstream adaptability of 3D cultures have hindered mainstream adoption of these systems for biological applications, especially for low- and moderate-throughput assays commonly used in biomedical research. Here we build on our recent development of a 384-well hanging drop plate for spheroid culture to design a complementary spheroid transfer and imaging (TRIM) plate. The low-aspect ratio wells of the TRIM plate facilitated high-fidelity, user-independent, contact-based collection of hanging drop spheroids. Using the TRIM plate, we demonstrated several downstream analyses, including bulk tissue collection for flow cytometry, high-resolution low working-distance immersion imaging, and timely reagent delivery for enzymatic studies. Low working-distance multiphoton imaging revealed a cell type-dependent, macroscopic spheroid structure. Unlike ovarian cancer spheroids, which formed loose, disk-shaped spheroids, human mammary fibroblasts formed tight, spherical, and nutrient-limited spheroids. Beyond the applications we describe here, we expect the hanging drop spheroid plate and complementary TRIM plate to facilitate analyses of spheroids across the spectrum of throughput, particularly for bulk collection of spheroids and high-content imaging.

  12. Biocompatibility and Biocorrosion of Hydroxyapatite-Coated Magnesium Plate: Animal Experiment

    PubMed Central

    Woo, Jae-Man; Kim, Sae-Mi; Lee, Sung-Mi; Kim, Hyoun-Ee; Lee, Jung-Woo; Lee, Jong-Ho

    2017-01-01

    Magnesium (Mg) has the advantage of being resorbed in vivo, but its resorption rate is difficult to control. With uncontrolled resorption, Magnesium as a bone fixation material has minimal clinical value. During resorption not only is the strength rapidly weakened, but rapid formation of metabolite also occurs. In order to overcome these disadvantages, hydroxyapatite (HA) surface coating of pure magnesium plate was attempted in this study. Magnesium plates were inserted above the frontal bone of Sprague-Dawley rats in both the control group (Bare-Mg group) and the experimental group (HA-Mg group). The presence of inflammation, infection, hydrogen gas formation, wound dehiscence, and/or plate exposure was observed, blood tests were performed, and the resorption rate and tensile strength of the retrieved metal plates were measured. The HA-Mg group showed no gas formation or plate exposure until week 12. However, the Bare-Mg group showed consistent gas formation and plate exposure beginning in week 2. WBC (White Blood Cell), BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen), Creatinine, and serum magnesium concentration levels were within normal range in both groups. AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase) and ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase) values, however, were above normal range in some animals of both groups. The HA-Mg group showed statistically significant advantage in resistance to degradation compared to the Bare-Mg group in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12. Degradation of HA-Mg plates proceeded after week 12. Coating magnesium plates with hydroxyapatite may be a viable method to maintain their strength long enough to allow bony healing and to control the resorption rate during the initial period. PMID:28973984

  13. Passively Shunted Piezoelectric Damping of Centrifugally-Loaded Plates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Duffy, Kirsten P.; Provenza, Andrew J.; Trudell, Jeffrey J.; Min, James B.

    2009-01-01

    Researchers at NASA Glenn Research Center have been investigating shunted piezoelectric circuits as potential damping treatments for turbomachinery rotor blades. This effort seeks to determine the effects of centrifugal loading on passively-shunted piezoelectric - damped plates. Passive shunt circuit parameters are optimized for the plate's third bending mode. Tests are performed both non-spinning and in the Dynamic Spin Facility to verify the analysis, and to determine the effectiveness of the damping under centrifugal loading. Results show that a resistive shunt circuit will reduce resonant vibration for this configuration. However, a tuned shunt circuit will be required to achieve the desired damping level. The analysis and testing address several issues with passive shunt circuit implementation in a rotating system, including piezoelectric material integrity under centrifugal loading, shunt circuit implementation, and tip mode damping.

  14. Abrasion resistant track shoe grouser

    DOEpatents

    Fischer, Keith D; Diekevers, Mark S; Afdahl, Curt D; Steiner, Kevin L; Barnes, Christopher A

    2013-04-23

    A track shoe for a track-type vehicle. The track shoe includes a base plate and a grouser projecting away from the base plate. A capping surface structure of substantially horseshoe shaped cross-section is disposed across a distal portion of the grouser. The capping surface structure covers portions of a distal edge surface and adjacent lateral surfaces. The capping surface structure is formed from an material characterized by enhanced wear resistance relative to portions of the grouser underlying the capping surface structure.

  15. Evaluating MyPlate: An Expanded Framework Using Traditional and Nontraditional Metrics for Assessing Health Communication Campaigns

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levine, Elyse; Abbatangelo-Gray, Jodie; Mobley, Amy R.; McLaughlin, Grant R.; Herzog, Jill

    2012-01-01

    MyPlate, the icon and multimodal communication plan developed for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), provides an opportunity to consider new approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of communication initiatives. A review of indicators used in assessments for previous DGA communication initiatives finds gaps in accounting for…

  16. Relationship between two Solomon Islands Earthquakes in 2007 (M8.1), 2010 (M7.1), and Seismic Gap along the Subduction Zone, Revealed by ALOS/PALSAR

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miyagi, Y.; Ozawa, T.

    2010-12-01

    The Solomon Islands are located in the southwest of the Pacific Ocean. The Australian, Woodlark, and Solomon Sea plates subduct toward the northeast beneath the Pacific plate. Interaction among these four plates cause complicated tectonics around the Solomon Islands, and have caused interplate earthquakes in the subduction zone (e.g. Lay and Kanamori, 1980; Xu and Schwarts, 1993). On April 1, 2007 (UTC), an M8.1 interplate earthquake occurred in the subduction zone between the Pacific Plate and the Australian Plate. This earthquake was accompanied by a large tsunami and caused considerable damage in the area. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) carried out emergency observations using the Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Rader (PALSAR) installed on Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS), and detected more than 2m of maximum displacement using differential interferometric SAR (DInSAR) technique. Miyagi et al. (2009) estimated a slip distribution of the seismic fault mainly from the PALSAR/DInSAR data and suggested that most of a seismic gap was filled by the 2007 events, but a small seismic gap connecting to an Mw7.0-sized earthquake still remained. On January 3, 2010, an M7.1 earthquake occurred in the vicinity of the remnant seismic gap. ALOS/PALSAR observed epicentral area both before and after the event, and detected crustal deformation associated with the earthquake. We inferred fault model using the PALSAR/DInSAR data and concluded that the 2010 event was the supposed thrust earthquake filling the remnant seismic gap. A distribution of coulomb failure stress change in the epicentral area after the 2007 event suggested the possibility that the 2010 event was triggered by the 2007 earthquake.

  17. Thermal barrier coating resistant to sintering

    DOEpatents

    Subramanian, Ramesh; Sabol, Stephen M.

    2001-01-01

    A device (10) having a ceramic thermal barrier coating layer (16) characterized by a microstructure having gaps (18) with a sintering inhibiting material (22) disposed on the columns (20) within the gaps (18). The sintering resistant material (22) is stable over the range of operating temperatures of the device (10) and is not soluble with the underlying ceramic layer (16). For a YSZ ceramic layer (16) the sintering resistant layer (22) may preferably be aluminum oxide or yttrium aluminum oxide, deposited as a continuous layer or as nodules.

  18. Plasma deposition and surface modification techniques for wear resistance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Spalvins, T.

    1982-01-01

    The ion-assisted or plasma coating technology is discussed as it applies to the deposition of hard, wear resistant refractory compound films. Of the many sputtering and ion plating modes and configurations the reactive magnetron sputtering and the reactive triode ion plating techniques are the preferred ones to deposit wear resistant coatings for tribological applications. Both of these techniques incorporate additional means to enhance the ionization efficiency and chemical reaction to precision tailor desirable tribological characteristics. Interrelationships between film formation, structure, and ribological properties are strictly controlled by the deposition parameters and the substrate condition. The enhanced ionization contributes to the excellent adherence and coherence, reduced internal stresses and improved structural growth to form dense, cohesive, equiaxed grain structure for improved wear resistance and control.

  19. Assessment of the Biomechanical Performance of 5 Plating Techniques in Fixation of Mandibular Subcondylar Fracture Using Finite Element Analysis.

    PubMed

    Darwich, Mhd Ayham; Albogha, Mhd Hassan; Abdelmajeed, Adnan; Darwich, Khaldoun

    2016-04-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the performances of 5 plating techniques for fixation of unilateral mandibular subcondylar fracture. Five titanium plating techniques for fixation of condylar fracture were analyzed using the finite element method. The modeled techniques were 1) 1 straight plate, 2) 2 parallel straight plates, 3) 2 angulated straight plates, 4) 1 trapezoidal plate, and 5) 1 square plate. Three-dimensional models were generated using patient-specific geometry for the mandible obtained from a computerized tomographic image of a healthy living man. Plates were designed and combined with the mandible and analyzed under a 500-N load. The single straight plate presented the most inferior performance; it presented maximum displacement and strain on cortical bone. The trapezoidal plate induced the least amount of strain on cortical bone and was best at resisting displacement. The trapezoidal plate is recommended for fixation of subcondylar fracture. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Low thermal resistance power module assembly

    DOEpatents

    Hassani, Vahab; Vlahinos, Andreas; Bharathan, Desikan

    2007-03-13

    A power module assembly with low thermal resistance and enhanced heat dissipation to a cooling medium. The assembly includes a heat sink or spreader plate with passageways or openings for coolant that extend through the plate from a lower surface to an upper surface. A circuit substrate is provided and positioned on the spreader plate to cover the coolant passageways. The circuit substrate includes a bonding layer configured to extend about the periphery of each of the coolant passageways and is made up of a substantially nonporous material. The bonding layer may be solder material which bonds to the upper surface of the plate to provide a continuous seal around the upper edge of each opening in the plate. The assembly includes power modules mounted on the circuit substrate on a surface opposite the bonding layer. The power modules are positioned over or proximal to the coolant passageways.

  1. Performance optimization of plate heat exchangers with chevron plates

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

    Muley, A.; Manglik, R.M.

    1999-07-01

    The enhanced heat transfer performance of a chevron plate heat exchanger (PHE) is evaluated employing (1) energy-conservation based performance evaluation criteria (PECs), and (2) the second-law based minimization of entropy generation principle. Single-phase laminar and turbulent flow convection for three different chevron-plate arrangements are considered. The influence of plate surface corrugation characteristics and their stack arrangements on the heat exchanger's thermal-hydraulic performance is delineated. Based on the different figures of merit, the results show that the extent of heat transfer enhancement increases with flow Re and chevron angle {beta} in laminar flow, but it diminishes with increasing Re in turbulentmore » flows. With up to 2.9 times higher Q, 48% lower A, and entropy generation number N{sub s,a} {lt} 1, relative to an equivalent flat-plate pack, chevron plates are found to be especially suitable in the low to medium flow rates range (20 {le} Re {le} 2,000). Also, there appears to be no significant advantage of using a mixed-plate over a symmetric-plate arrangement.« less

  2. Rapid subsidence along the Kerama Gap on the Ryukyu Arc, northwestern Pacific

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arai, K.; Inoue, T.; Sato, T.

    2017-12-01

    The Ryukyu Arc, which extend for over 1200 km along the east coast of Asia from Kyushu to Taiwan, and the associated Ryukyu Trench, are products of the subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate. The Okinawa Trough, a back-arc basin located landward of the Ryukyu Arc, formed in the Late Miocene (Gungor et al., 2012) or the Late Pliocene-Early Pleistocene (Sibuet et al., 1998); its formation is a key geologic event associated with complex tectonic movements and changes in the topographic configuration of the Ryukyu Arc. Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ), AIST has started the marine geological mapping project around the Ryukyu Arc since the 2008 FY. Multi channel (16 ch) high-resolution seismic profiles were acquired during these cruises by the GI-gun (355cu. inch) or the Cluster-gun (30+30 cu. inch) systems. Our survey area around the Okinawa Island is characterized by the shelf, upper forearc slope and slope to the back-arc basin. Seismic reflections of shelf and the upper forearc slope show a distinct reflector which may represent erosional unconformable surface. The distinct reflector had mainly tilted southeastward and was overlain by the stratified sediments. No obvious deformation such as the fold and faults parallel to the Ryukyu Trench axis was found under the upper forearc slope. In contrast, some active faults which were perpendicular to the Ryukyu Trench axis (NW-SE direction) were observed. The most conspicuous normal faults system under the Kerama Gap located on southwest off the Okinawa Island is formed. We will present the seismic profiles around the Kerama Gap. Seismic profiles show a distinct, irregularly undulated reflector as an acoustic basement around the Kerama Gap. The acoustic basement is overlain by the clear stratified sediments. Many normal faults developed NW-SE direction cut the stratified sediments and are deformed the subsurface along the Kerama Gap. Subsidence of the Kerama Gap resulted from large vertical

  3. Details: Elevation of Plate Typical Bay, SectionThrough Plate Typical Bay, ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    Details: Elevation of Plate Typical Bay, Section-Through Plate Typical Bay, Section-Through Plate Center Bay, Elevation of Plate Center Bay - Contoocook Covered Bridge, Spanning Contoocook River, Hopkinton, Merrimack County, NH

  4. Global geodynamic models constrained by tectonic reconstructions including plate deformation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gurnis, M.; Flament, N.; Spasojevic, S.; Williams, S.; Seton, M.; Müller, R. D.

    2011-12-01

    In order to investigate the effect of mantle flow on the Earth's surface, imposing the kinematics predicted by plate reconstructions in global convection models has become common practice. Such models are valuable to investigate the effect of the mantle flow beneath the lithosphere on surface topography. Changes in surface topography due to lithospheric deformation are so far not part of top-down tectonic models in which plates are treated as rigid in traditional tectonic reconstructions. We introduce a new generation of geodynamic models that are based on tectonic reconstructions with deforming plates at both passive and convergent margins. These models allow us to investigate the relationships between lithospheric deformation and mantle flow, and their combined effects on surface topography. In traditional tectonic reconstructions, continents are represented as rigid blocks that either overlap or are separated by gaps in full-fit reconstructions. Reconstructions that include a global network of topological plate polygons avoid continental overlaps and gaps, but velocities are still derived on the basis of the Euler poles for rigid blocks. To resolve these issues, we developed a series of deforming plate models using the open source plate modeling software GPlates. For a given area, our methodology requires the relative motions between major rigid continental blocks, and a definition of the regions in which continental lithosphere deformed between these blocks. We use geophysical and geological data to define the limit between rigid and deforming areas, and the deformation history of non-rigid blocks. The velocity field predicted by these reconstructions is then used as a time-dependent surface boundary condition in global 3-D geodynamic models. To incorporate the continental lithosphere in our global models, we embed compositionally distinct crust and continental lithosphere within the thermal lithosphere. We define three isostatic columns of different thickness

  5. [Study of characteristics of excited O atom generated in multi-needle-to-plate corona discharge by emission spectroscopy].

    PubMed

    Ge, Hui; Yan, Ling; Mi, Dong; Zhu, Yi-min; Zhang, Lu

    2012-04-01

    The emission spectra of O(3p 5 P --> 3s 5 S2(0) 777.4 nm) produced by multi-needle-to-plate negative corona discharge and positive streamer discharge in air were successfully recorded at one atmosphere. The influences of discharge power, electrode gap, content of N2 and relative humidity on the excited O atom production were investigated in negative corona discharge. Meanwhile, the distribution of relative density of excited O atom in discharge space was also studied in positive streamer discharge. The results indicate that, for negative corona discharge, the amount of O active atom increases with the increase in power, decreases with increased discharge gap. And with the increase in relative humidity and N2 content, its amount firstly increases and then decreases; whereas for positive corona discharge, the relative density of O active atom from needlepoint to plate firstly increases and then decreases.

  6. Enabling fast charging – A battery technology gap assessment

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

    Ahmed, Shabbir; Bloom, Ira; Jansen, Andrew N.

    The battery technology literature is reviewed, with an emphasis on key elements that limit extreme fast charging. Key gaps in existing elements of the technology are presented as well as developmental needs. Among these needs are advanced models and methods to detect and prevent lithium plating; new positive-electrode materials which are less prone to stress-induced failure; better electrode designs to accommodate very rapid diffusion in and out of the electrode; and thermal management and pack designs to accommodate the higher operating voltage.

  7. Enabling fast charging – A battery technology gap assessment

    DOE PAGES

    Ahmed, Shabbir; Bloom, Ira; Jansen, Andrew N.; ...

    2017-10-23

    The battery technology literature is reviewed, with an emphasis on key elements that limit extreme fast charging. Key gaps in existing elements of the technology are presented as well as developmental needs. Among these needs are advanced models and methods to detect and prevent lithium plating; new positive-electrode materials which are less prone to stress-induced failure; better electrode designs to accommodate very rapid diffusion in and out of the electrode; and thermal management and pack designs to accommodate the higher operating voltage.

  8. Coulomb gap: how a metal film becomes an insulator

    PubMed

    Butko; DiTusa; Adams

    2000-02-14

    Electron tunneling measurements of the density of states (DOS) in ultrathin Be films reveal that a correlation gap mediates their insulating behavior. In films with sheet resistance R<5000 Omega the correlation singularity appears as the usual perturbative ln(V) zero bias anomaly (ZBA) in the DOS. As R is increased further, however, the ZBA grows and begins to dominate the DOS spectrum. This evolution continues until a nonperturbative |V| Efros-Shklovskii Coulomb gap spectrum finally emerges in the highest R films. Transport measurements of films which display this gap are well described by a universal variable range hopping law R(T) = (h/2e(2))exp(T0/T)(1/2).

  9. Effect of barnacle fouling on ship resistance and powering.

    PubMed

    Demirel, Yigit Kemal; Uzun, Dogancan; Zhang, Yansheng; Fang, Ho-Chun; Day, Alexander H; Turan, Osman

    2017-11-01

    Predictions of added resistance and the effective power of ships were made for varying barnacle fouling conditions. A series of towing tests was carried out using flat plates covered with artificial barnacles. The tests were designed to allow the examination of the effects of barnacle height and percentage coverage on the resistance and effective power of ships. The drag coefficients and roughness function values were evaluated for the flat plates. The roughness effects of the fouling conditions on the ships' frictional resistances were predicted. Added resistance diagrams were then plotted using these predictions, and powering penalties for these ships were calculated using the diagrams generated. The results indicate that the effect of barnacle size is significant, since a 10% coverage of barnacles each 5 mm in height caused a similar level of added power requirements to a 50% coverage of barnacles each 1.25 mm in height.

  10. Antibiotic Resistance Patterns of Enterococci and Occurrence of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci in Raw Minced Beef and Pork in Germany

    PubMed Central

    Klein, Günter; Pack, Alexander; Reuter, Gerhard

    1998-01-01

    The food chain, especially raw minced meat, is thought to be responsible for an increase in the incidence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in human nosocomial infections. Therefore, 555 samples from 115 batches of minced beef and pork from a European Union-licensed meat-processing plant were screened for the occurrence of VRE. The processed meat came from 45 different slaughterhouses in Germany. Enterococci were isolated directly from Enterococcosel selective agar plates and also from Enterococcosel selective agar plates supplemented with 32 mg of vancomycin per liter. In addition, peptone broth was used in a preenrichment procedure, and samples were subsequently plated onto Enterococcosel agar containing vancomycin. To determine resistance, 209 isolates from 275 samples were tested with the glycopeptides vancomycin, teicoplanin, and avoparcin and 19 other antimicrobial substances by using a broth microdilution test. When the direct method was used, VRE were found in 3 of 555 samples (0.5%) at a concentration of 1.0 log CFU/g of minced meat. When the preenrichment procedure was used, 8% of the samples were VRE positive. Our findings indicate that there is a low incidence of VRE in minced meat in Germany. In addition, the resistance patterns of the VRE isolates obtained were different from the resistance patterns of clinical isolates. A connection between the occurrence of VRE in minced meat and nosocomial infections could not be demonstrated on the basis of our findings. PMID:9572958

  11. Characteristics and dispersity of a two gap capillary discharge applied for long spark gap ignition in air

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Dong; Yang, Lanjun; Guo, Haishan; Zhang, Zhiyuan; Jiang, Hongqiu; Xu, Haipeng

    2017-07-01

    In this paper, the characteristics and dispersity of a two gap capillary (TGC) discharge applied for long spark gap ignition are studied. Under the same discharge condition, 30 repetitive discharges are done to get a certain number of data samples. Accordingly, the change trend of the characteristics and the dispersity with the charging voltage of C1 are analyzed statistically. The delay of soft capillary discharge is determined by the saturation rate of the magnetic core of the pulse transformer and decreases with the increase in the charging voltage. The main discharge delay decreases from 1.0 kV to 2.0 kV and stops the decreasing trend when the charging voltage increases to 2.5 kV. In contrast, the current amplitude of soft capillary discharge and main discharge increases with charging voltage. Long tail extinction is witnessed at the charging voltage of 1.0 kV and the major cause is the insufficient pressure in the post discharge. The waveform of the capillary arc resistivity is U-like shape and the minimum resistivity decreases with the increase in the charging voltage. Meanwhile, the arc resistivity in the ascending stage is much higher than that in the descending stage with the same value of the discharge current. The energy consumption of the TGC discharge can be mainly divided into four parts and more than 70% of the energy is consumed in main discharge.

  12. Electroless silver plating on PET fabric initiated by in situ reduction of polyaniline

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mu, Shipeng; Xie, Huayang; Wang, Wei; Yu, Dan

    2015-10-01

    Novel electroless silver plating poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabric was prepared by a two-step procedure. In the first step, the in situ polymerized polyaniline (PANI) occurred on the fabric surface in the presence of ammonium persulfate (APS). Then, Ag(0) species reduced from silver nitrate (AgNO3) by in situ reduction of PANI were used as catalyst to initiate electroless silver plating. Hence, this composite material was prepared by conductive polymer combined with electroless plating. The silver layer on PET fabric surface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the silver layer was plated uniformly and compactly with surface resistance about 0.1 Ω/sq on average. The shielding effectiveness (SE) of silver-plated PET fabric was around 50-90 dB, which was considered to have potential applications in electromagnetic shielding materials. Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis was carried out to study thermal stability. The antibacterial tests demonstrated that the silver-plated fabric exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli both with 100%.

  13. Numerical simulations of human tibia osteosynthesis using modular plates based on Nitinol staples.

    PubMed

    Tarniţă, Daniela; Tarniţă, D N; Popa, D; Grecu, D; Tarniţă, Roxana; Niculescu, D; Cismaru, F

    2010-01-01

    The shape memory alloys exhibit a number of remarkable properties, which open new possibilities in engineering and more specifically in biomedical engineering. The most important alloy used in biomedical applications is NiTi. This alloy combines the characteristics of the shape memory effect and superelasticity with excellent corrosion resistance, wear characteristics, mechanical properties and a good biocompatibility. These properties make it an ideal biological engineering material, especially in orthopedic surgery and orthodontics. In this work, modular plates for the osteosynthesis of the long bones fractures are presented. The proposed modular plates are realized from identical modules, completely interchangeable, made of titanium or stainless steel having as connecting elements U-shaped staples made of Nitinol. Using computed tomography (CT) images to provide three-dimensional geometric details and SolidWorks software package, the three dimensional virtual models of the tibia bone and of the modular plates are obtained. The finite element models of the tibia bone and of the modular plate are generated. For numerical simulation, VisualNastran software is used. Finally, displacements diagram, von Misses strain diagram, for the modular plate and for the fractured tibia and modular plate ensemble are obtained.

  14. Low velocity impact of 6082-T6 aluminum plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mocian, Oana Alexandra; Constantinescu, Dan Mihai; Sandu, Marin; Sorohan, Ştefan

    2018-02-01

    The low velocity domain covers vehicle impacts, ship collisions and even accidentally tool drops. Even though more and more research is needed into these fields, most of the papers concerning impact problems focus on impact at medium and high velocities. Understanding the behavior of structures subjected to low velocity impact is of major importance when referring to impact resistance and damage tolerance. The paper presents an experimental and numerical investigation on the low velocity behavior of 6082-T6 aluminum plates. Impact tests were performed using an Instron Ceast 9340 drop-weight testing machine. In the experimental procedure, square plates were mounted on a circular support, fixed with a pneumatic clamping system and impacted with a hemispherical steel projectile. Specimens were impacted at constant weight and different impact velocities. The effect of different impact energies was investigated. The impact event was then simulated using the nonlinear finite element code LS_DYNA in order to determine the effect of strain rate upon the mechanical behavior of the aluminum plates. Moreover, in order to capture the exact behavior of the material, a special attention has been given to the selection of the correct material model and its parameters, which, in large extent, depend on the observed behavior of the aluminum plate during the test and the actual response of the plate under simulation. The numerical predictions are compared with the experimental observations and the applicability of the numerical model for further researches is analyzed.

  15. The influence of distal locking on the need for fibular plating in intramedullary nailing of distal metaphyseal tibiofibular fractures.

    PubMed

    Attal, R; Maestri, V; Doshi, H K; Onder, U; Smekal, V; Blauth, M; Schmoelz, W

    2014-03-01

    Using human cadaver specimens, we investigated the role of supplementary fibular plating in the treatment of distal tibial fractures using an intramedullary nail. Fibular plating is thought to improve stability in these situations, but has been reported to have increased soft-tissue complications and to impair union of the fracture. We proposed that multidirectional locking screws provide adequate stability, making additional fibular plating unnecessary. A distal tibiofibular osteotomy model performed on matched fresh-frozen lower limb specimens was stabilised with reamed nails using conventional biplanar distal locking (CDL) or multidirectional distal locking (MDL) options with and without fibular plating. Rotational stiffness was assessed under a constant axial force of 150 N and a superimposed torque of ± 5 Nm. Total movement, and neutral zone and fracture gap movement were analysed. In the CDL group, fibular plating improved stiffness at the tibial fracture site, albeit to a small degree (p = 0.013). In the MDL group additional fibular plating did not increase the stiffness. The MDL nail without fibular plating was significantly more stable than the CDL nail with an additional fibular plate (p = 0.008). These findings suggest that additional fibular plating does not improve stability if a multidirectional distal locking intramedullary nail is used, and is therefore unnecessary if not needed to aid reduction.

  16. Investigation of the effects of process sequence on the contact resistance characteristics of coated metallic bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Turan, Cabir; Cora, Ömer Necati; Koç, Muammer

    2013-12-01

    In this study, results of an investigation on the effects of manufacturing and coating process sequence on the contact resistance (ICR) of metallic bipolar plates (BPP) for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are presented. Firstly, uncoated stainless steel 316L blanks were formed into BPP through hydroforming and stamping processes. Then, these formed BPP samples were coated with three different PVD coatings (CrN, TiN and ZrN) at three different thicknesses (0.1, 0.5 and 1 μm). Secondly, blanks of the same alloy were coated first with the same coatings, thickness and technique; then, they were formed into BPPs of the same shape and dimensions using the manufacturing methods as in the first group. Finally, these two groups of BPP samples were tested for their ICR to reveal the effect of process sequence. ICR tests were also conducted on the BPP plates both before and after exposure to corrosion to disclose the effect of corrosion on ICR. Coated-then-formed BPP samples exhibited similar or even better ICR performance than formed-then-coated BPP samples. Thus, manufacturing of coated blanks can be concluded to be more favorable and worth further investigation in quest of making cost effective BPPs for mass production of PEMFC.

  17. Corrugated cover plate for flat plate collector

    DOEpatents

    Hollands, K. G. Terry; Sibbitt, Bruce

    1978-01-01

    A flat plate radiant energy collector is providing having a transparent cover. The cover has a V-corrugated shape which reduces the amount of energy reflected by the cover away from the flat plate absorber of the collector.

  18. Plate mode velocities in graphite/epoxy plates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Prosser, W. H.; Gorman, M. R.

    1994-01-01

    Measurements of the velocities of the extensional and flexural plate modes were made along three directions of propagation in four graphite/epoxy composite plates. The acoustic signals were generated by simulated acoustic emission events (pencil lead breaks or Hsu-Neilson sources) and detected by by broadband ultrasonic transducers. The first arrival of the extensional plate mode, which is nondispersive at low frequencies, was measured at a number of different distances from the source along the propagation direction of interest. The velocity was determined by plotting the distance versus arrival time and computing its slope. Because of the large dispersion of the flexural mode, a Fourier phase velocity technique was used to characterize this mode. The velocity was measured up to a frequency of 160 kHz. Theoretical predictions of the velocities of these modes were also made and compared with experimental observations. Classical plate theory yields good agreement with the measured extensional velocities. For predictions of the dispersion of the flexural mode, Mindlin plates theory, which includes the effects of shear deformation and rotatory inertia was shown to give better agreement with the experimental measurements.

  19. Seismic tomographic constraints on plate-tectonic reconstructions of Nazca subduction under South America since late Cretaceous (˜80 Ma)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Y. W.; Wu, J.; Suppe, J.

    2017-12-01

    Global seismic tomography has provided new and increasingly higher resolution constraints on subducted lithospheric remnants in terms of their position, depth, and volumes. In this study we aim to link tomographic slab anomalies in the mantle under South America to Andean geology using methods to unfold (i.e. structurally restore) slabs back to earth surface and input them to globally consistent plate reconstructions (Wu et al., 2016). The Andean margin of South America has long been interpreted as a classic example of a continuous subduction system since early Jurassic or later. However, significant gaps in Andean plate tectonic reconstructions exist due to missing or incomplete geology from extensive Nazca-South America plate convergence (i.e. >5000 km since 80 Ma). We mapped and unfolded the Nazca slab from global seismic tomography to produce a quantitative plate reconstruction of the Andes back to the late Cretaceous 80 Ma. Our plate model predicts the latest phase of Nazca subduction began in the late Cretaceous subduction after a 100 to 80 Ma plate reorganization, which is supported by Andean geology that indicates a margin-wide compressional event at the mid-late Cretaceous (Tunik et al., 2010). Our Andean plate tectonic reconstructions predict the Andean margin experienced periods of strike-slip/transtensional and even divergent plate tectonics between 80 to 55 Ma. This prediction is roughly consistent with the arc magmatism from northern Chile between 20 to 36°S that resumed at 80 Ma after a magmatic gap. Our model indicates the Andean margin only became fully convergent after 55 Ma. We provide additional constraints on pre-subduction Nazca plate paleogeography by extracting P-wave velocity perturbations within our mapped slab surfaces following Wu et al. (2016). We identified localized slow anomalies within our mapped Nazca slab that apparently show the size and position of the subducted Nazca ridge, Carnegie ridge and the hypothesized Inca plateau

  20. Low thermal resistance power module assembly

    DOEpatents

    Hassani, Vahab; Vlahinos, Andreas; Bharathan, Desikan

    2010-12-28

    A power module assembly (400) with low thermal resistance and enhanced heat dissipation to a cooling medium. The assembly includes a heat sink or spreader plate (410) with passageways or openings (414) for coolant that extend through the plate from a lower surface (411) to an upper surface (412). A circuit substrate (420) is provided and positioned on the spreader plate (410) to cover the coolant passageways. The circuit substrate (420) includes a bonding layer (422) configured to extend about the periphery of each of the coolant passageways and is made up of a substantially nonporous material. The bonding layer (422) may be solder material which bonds to the upper surface (412) of the plate to provide a continuous seal around the upper edge of each opening (414) in the plate. The assembly includes power modules (430) mounted on the circuit substrate (420) on a surface opposite the bonding layer (422). The power modules (430) are positioned over or proximal to the coolant passageways.

  1. Performance of a resistive plate chamber equipped with a new prototype of amplified front-end electronics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marchisone, Massimiliano

    2016-06-01

    ALICE is the LHC experiment dedicated to the study of heavy-ion collisions. At forward rapidity a muon spectrometer detects muons from low mass mesons, quarkonia, open heavy-flavor hadrons as well as weak bosons. A muon selection based on transverse momentum is made by a trigger system composed of 72 resistive plate chambers (RPCs). For the LHC Run 1 and the ongoing Run 2 the RPCs have been equipped with a non-amplified FEE called ADULT. However, in view of an increase in luminosity expected for Run 3 (2021-2023) the possibility to use an amplified FEE has been explored in order to improve the counting rate limitation and to prevent the aging of the detector, by reducing the charge per hit. A prototype of this new electronics (FEERIC) has been developed and tested first with cosmic rays before equipping one RPC in the ALICE cavern with it. In this paper the most important performance indicators— efficiency, dark current, dark rate, cluster size and total charge —of an RPC equipped with this new FEE will be reviewed and compared to the others read out with ADULT, in pp collisions at √s=5 and 13 TeV and in Pb-Pb collisions at √sNN=5 TeV.

  2. Conformal Electroless Nickel Plating on Silicon Wafers, Convex and Concave Pyramids, and Ultralong Nanowires.

    PubMed

    Gill, Thomas Mark; Zhao, Jiheng; Berenschot, Erwin J W; Tas, Niels; Zheng, Xiaolin

    2018-06-25

    Nickel (Ni) plating has garnered great commercial interest, as it provides excellent hardness, corrosion resistance, and electrical conductivity. Though Ni plating on conducting substrates is commonly employed via electrodeposition, plating on semiconductors and insulators often necessitates electroless approaches. Corresponding plating theory for deposition on planar substrates was developed as early as 1946, but for substrates with micro- and nanoscale features, very little is known of the relationships between plating conditions, Ni deposition quality, and substrate morphology. Herein, we describe the general theory and mechanisms of electroless Ni deposition on semiconducting silicon (Si) substrates, detailing plating bath failures and establishing relationships between critical plating bath parameters and the deposited Ni film quality. Through this theory, we develop two different plating recipes: galvanic displacement (GD) and autocatalytic deposition (ACD). Neither recipe requires pretreatment of the Si substrate, and both methods are capable of depositing uniform Ni films on planar Si substrates and convex Si pyramids. In comparison, ACD has better tunability than GD, and it provides a more conformal Ni coating on complex and high-aspect-ratio Si structures, such as inverse fractal Si pyramids and ultralong Si nanowires. Our methodology and theoretical analyses can be leveraged to develop electroless plating processes for other metals and metal alloys and to generally provide direction for the adaptation of electroless deposition to modern applications.

  3. Paper microzone plates.

    PubMed

    Carrilho, Emanuel; Phillips, Scott T; Vella, Sarah J; Martinez, Andres W; Whitesides, George M

    2009-08-01

    This paper describes 96- and 384-microzone plates fabricated in paper as alternatives to conventional multiwell plates fabricated in molded polymers. Paper-based plates are functionally related to plastic well plates, but they offer new capabilities. For example, paper-microzone plates are thin (approximately 180 microm), require small volumes of sample (5 microL per zone), and can be manufactured from inexpensive materials ($0.05 per plate). The paper-based plates are fabricated by patterning sheets of paper, using photolithography, into hydrophilic zones surrounded by hydrophobic polymeric barriers. This photolithography used an inexpensive formulation photoresist that allows rapid (approximately 15 min) prototyping of paper-based plates. These plates are compatible with conventional microplate readers for quantitative absorbance and fluorescence measurements. The limit of detection per zone loaded for fluorescence was 125 fmol for fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled bovine serum albumin, and this level corresponds to 0.02 the quantity of analyte per well used to achieve comparable signal-to-noise in a 96-well plastic plate (using a solution of 25 nM labeled protein). The limits of detection for absorbance on paper was approximately 50 pmol per zone for both Coomassie Brilliant Blue and Amaranth dyes; these values were 0.4 that required for the plastic plate. Demonstration of quantitative colorimetric correlations using a scanner or camera to image the zones and to measure the intensity of color, makes it possible to conduct assays without a microplate reader.

  4. Removal of nutrient limitations in forest gaps enhances growth rate and resistance to cavitation in subtropical canopy tree species differing in shade tolerance.

    PubMed

    Villagra, Mariana; Campanello, Paula I; Montti, Lia; Goldstein, Guillermo

    2013-03-01

    A 4-year fertilization experiment with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) was carried out in natural gaps of a subtropical forest in northeastern Argentina. Saplings of six dominant canopy species differing in shade tolerance were grown in five control and five N + P fertilized gaps. Hydraulic architectural traits such as wood density, the leaf area to sapwood area ratio (LA : SA), vulnerability to cavitation (P50) and specific and leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity were measured, as well as the relative growth rate, specific leaf area (SLA) and percentage of leaf damage by insect herbivores. Plant growth rates and resistance to drought-induced embolisms increased when nutrient limitations were removed. On average, the P50 of control plants was -1.1 MPa, while the P50 of fertilized plants was -1.6 MPa. Wood density and LA : SA decreased with N + P additions. A trade-off between vulnerability to cavitation and efficiency of water transport was not observed. The relative growth rate was positively related to the total leaf surface area per plant and negatively related to LA : SA, while P50 was positively related to SLA across species and treatments. Plants with higher growth rates and higher total leaf area in fertilized plots were able to avoid hydraulic dysfunction by becoming less vulnerable to cavitation (more negative P50). Two high-light-requiring species exhibited relatively low growth rates due to heavy herbivore damage. Contrary to expectations, shade-tolerant plants with relatively high resistance to hydraulic dysfunction and reduced herbivory damage were able to grow faster. These results suggest that during the initial phase of sapling establishment in gaps, species that were less vulnerable to cavitation and exhibited reduced herbivory damage had faster realized growth rates than less shade-tolerant species with higher potential growth rates. Finally, functional relationships between hydraulic traits and growth rate across species and treatments

  5. Biomechanical and biological aspects of defect treatment in fractures using helical plates.

    PubMed

    Perren, S M; Regazzoni, P; Fernandez, A A D

    2014-01-01

    The clinical case of figure 1 through figure 11 shows a series of impressive failures of plate fixation. The plates were repeatedly applied bridging a comminuted bone segment in a heavy patient. The biomechanical analysis elaborates why this happened and proposes an unconventional procedure to prevent this failure with a minimally invasive procedure. A plate bridging an open gap or a defect in a long bone diaphysis is exposed to full functional load. According to clinical observations such plate application often fails even without external load such as weight bearing. The plate risks to break through fatigue when exposed during a long time to cyclic loading. This type of failure has been observed even with broad plates as well in femoral as in tibiae. The first option to avoid such failure consists in protecting the plate by installing load sharing between plate and either bone or an additional implant. This reduces the load carried by the plate to a safe level. Load sharing with bone may be installed at surgery by establishing solid mechanical bridge between the two main fragments of the fractured bone. The optimal load sharing relies on a solid compressed contact between the main fragments. It can be established because the bone is able to take a large load which results in optimal protection of the plate. In the case of an extended comminuted bone segment it may be very difficult, traumatizing and inefficient to reconstruct the bone. In the present case it was impossible to establish load sharing through the bone. The second option protecting the plate is provided by callus bridging of the gap or defect. The formation of a solid callus bridge takes time but the fatigue failure of the plate also takes time. Therefore, the callus bridge may prevent a late fatigue failure. The surgeon may select one of several options: - Replacing the lack of bone support using a second plate which immediately alleviates plate loading. The drawback of application of a second

  6. Effective Process Design for the Production of HIC-Resistant Linepipe Steels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nieto, J.; Elías, T.; López, G.; Campos, G.; López, F.; Garcia, R.; De, Amar K.

    2013-09-01

    Production of slabs for sour service applications requires stringent control in slab internal quality and secondary processing so as to guarantee resistance against hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC). ArcelorMittal Steelmaking facility at Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico had recently implemented key steelmaking and casting processing technologies for production of sound, centerline free slabs for catering to the growing API Linepipe and off-shore market for sour service applications. State-of-the-art steelmaking with use of residual-free Direct-reduced Iron and continuous casting facilities with dynamic soft reduction were introduced for the production of slabs with ultra clean centerline. Introduction of controlled cooling of slabs for atomic hydrogen control well below 2 ppm has enabled production of slabs suitable for excellent HIC-resistant plate processing. Substantial tonnages of slabs were produced for production of API X52-X65 grade plates and pipes for sour service. Stringent quality control at each stage of steelmaking, casting, and slab inspection ensured slabs with excellent internal quality suitable for HIC resistance to be guaranteed in final product (Plates & Pipes). Details of production steps which resulted in successful HIC-resistant slab production have been described in this article.

  7. Characterization of tetracycline-resistant bacteria in an urbanizing subtropical watershed.

    PubMed

    Sullivan, B A; Gentry, T; Karthikeyan, R

    2013-09-01

    The objective of this study was to determine whether varying levels of urbanization influence the dominant bacterial species of mildly resistant (0·03 mmol l(-1) tetracycline) and highly resistant (0·06 mmol l(-1) tetracycline) bacteria in sediment and water. Also, the level of urbanization was further evaluated to determine whether the diversity of tetracycline resistance genes present in the isolates and the capability of transferring their resistance were influenced. Sediment and water samples collected from five sampling sites were plated in triplicate on nutrient agar plates with a mild dose (0·03 mmol l(-1) ) and a high dose (0·06 mmol l(-1) ) of tetracycline. Five colonies from each plate plus an additional five from each triplicate group were randomly selected and isolated on nutrient agar containing 0·03 mmol l(-1) tetracycline (400 isolates). The isolates were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and comparison to GenBank using blast. The isolates were also screened for 15 tetracycline resistance genes using a multiplex PCR assay and their ability to transfer resistance through conjugation experiments using a kanamycin-resistant Escherichia. coli K-12 strain labelled with a green fluorescent protein gene. Results from this study indicate that the dominant resistant organisms in this watershed are Acinetobacter spp., Chryseobacterium spp., Serratia spp., Pseudomonas spp., Aeromonas spp. and E. coli. All of these organisms are Gram negative and are closely related to pathogenic species. A majority of the isolates (66%) were capable of transferring their resistance, and there was a greater incidence of tet resistance transfer with increasing urbanization. Also, it was determined that the dominant resistance genes in the watershed are tet(W) and tet(A). Urbanization significantly affected dominant tetracycline-resistant bacteria species, but did not affect dominant resistance genes. There was correlation between increased urbanization with an

  8. Low-Thermal-Resistance Baseplate Mounting

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Perreault, W. T.

    1984-01-01

    Low-thermal-resistance mounting achieved by preloading baseplate to slight convexity with screws threaded through beam. As mounting bolts around edge of base-place tightened, baseplate and cold plate contact first in center, with region of intimate contact spreading outward as bolts tightened.

  9. Enabling fast charging – A battery technology gap assessment

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

    Ahmed, Shabbir; Bloom, Ira; Jansen, Andrew N.

    The battery technology literature is reviewed, with an emphasis on key elements that limit extreme fast charging. Key gaps in existing elements of the technology are presented as well as developmental needs. Among these needs are advanced models and methods to detect and prevent lithium plating; new positive-electrode materials which are less prone to stress-induced failure; better electrode designs to accommodate very rapid diffusion in and out of the electrode; measure temperature distributions during fast charge to enable/validate models; and develop thermal management and pack designs to accommodate the higher operating voltage.

  10. Enabling fast charging – A battery technology gap assessment

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

    Ahmed, Shabbir; Bloom, Ira; Jansen, Andrew N.

    The battery technology literature is reviewed, with an emphasis on key elements that limit extreme fast charging. Key gaps in existing elements of the technology are presented as well as developmental needs. Among these needs are advanced models and methods to detect and prevent lithium plating; new positive-electrode materials which are less prone to stress-induced failure; better electrode designs to accommodate very rapid diffusion in and out of the electrode; measure temperature distributions during fast charge to enable / validate models; and develop thermal management and pack designs to accommodate the higher operating voltage.

  11. A new global plate velocity model using space geodetic data, REVEL

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sella, G. F.; Dixon, T. H.; Mao, A.; Stein, S.

    2001-12-01

    Our model describes the relative velocities of 19 plates and continental blocks, and is derived from publicly available space geodetic (primarily GPS) data for the period 1993-2000. We include an independent and rigorous estimate for GPS velocity uncertainties in order to assess plate rigidity, and propagate these uncertainties to the velocity predictions. By excluding sites that may be influenced by seismic cycle effects within the plate boundary zone as well sites affected by glacial isostatic adjustment, we believe the plate velocity model is representative of geologically Recent motions (last ~10,000 years) and have termed it REVEL, for Recent velocity. Departures from short term rigid plate behaviour due to glacial isostatic adjustment are clearly observed for North America and Eurasia. Australia shows possible differences from rigid plate behavior in a manner consistent with its mapped intraplate stress field. We see statistically significant differences between the velocity predictions of REVEL-2000 and those of the NUVEL-1A geologic model for about one third of tested plate pairs. Pacific-North America motion and motion of the Caribbean plate with respect to North and South America are significantly faster than NUVEL-1A, presumably reflecting systematic errors in the geological model because the relevant rate data do not reflect the full plate rate. Many other differences between the geodetic and geological models appear to reflect real velocity changes over the last few million years. Nubia-Arabia and Arabia-Eurasia appear to be slowing, perhaps related to the collision of Arabia with Eurasia and consequent increased resistance to Arabia's northward motion Several other plate pairs, including Nazca-Pacific, Nazca-South America and Nubia-South America, are experiencing gradual slowing that dates back to about 25 Ma. This is the time of the initiation of the modern Andes mountains, and we speculate that associated crustal thickening on the leading edge of

  12. Production of atmospheric pressure diffuse nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge using the array needles-plate electrode in air

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, De-zheng; Wang, Wen-chun; Jia, Li; Nie, Dong-xia; Shi, Heng-chao

    2011-04-01

    In this paper, a bidirectional high pulse voltage with 20 ns rising time is employed to generate an atmospheric pressure diffuse dielectric barrier discharge using the array needles-plate electrode configuration. Both double needle and multiple needle electrode configurations nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharges are investigated. It is found that a diffuse discharge plasma with low gas temperature can be obtained, and the plasma volume increases with the increase of the pulse peak voltage, but remains almost constant with the increase of the pulse repetition rate. In addition to showing the potential application on a topographically nonuniform surface treatment of the discharge, the multiple needle-plate electrode configuration with different needle-plate electrode gaps are also employed to generate diffuse discharge plasma.

  13. Interseismic deformation at the leading edge of obliquely converging Burmese plate in densely populated Bangladesh.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akhter, S. H.; Steckler, M. S.; Seeber, L.; Mondal, D. R.; Goodbred, S. L., Jr.

    2016-12-01

    Densely populated Bangladesh sits at the juncture of 3-tectonic plates, India to the west and southwest, Eurasia to the north and non-rigid Burma platelet to the east. Moreover, the plate boundary between India and Burma passes through Bangladesh - the eastern part belongs to Burma plate while the western part belongs to Indian plate. Eastern Bangladesh, northeastern India and western Myanmar is characterized by the up to 250 km wide and 1400 km long Indo-Burma fold and thrust belt resulting from the oblique convergence of India-Burma plates. The northern extension of the Sumatra-Andaman subduction zone evolved from typical oceanic subduction in the Paleogene to the present subaerial subduction of the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta. Subduction of the thick sedimentary pile has created the broad accretionary prism that prograding westward in Bangladesh. The deformation front runs near the low elevation Meghna estuary to the south and Sylhet marshes to the north. It is further demarcated by the westernmost buried anticlines of the fold and thrust belt, the Shahbazpur, Muladi, Kamta structures west of the Meghna River and Chatak structure in Sylhet. This position is reinforced by variations in the depth of the Holocene/Pleistocene boundary from shallow drilling. Recent GPS analysis demonstrates that the Indo-Burman subduction in deltaic Bangladesh is still active with convergence of 13 to 17 mm/y and that the décollement beneath the fold-thrust belt is locked (Steckler et. al., 2016). A megathrust earthquake occurred along Chittagong-Arakan coast in 1762 and a great earthquake in Upper Assam in 1548 brought remarkable changes in topography of these regions. A seismic gap exists between these two regions, i.e., in the Chittagong-Sylhet segment. The amount of elastic energy that has been stored in this seismic gap for at least 400 years is likely to slip >6m of the megathrust with a potential earthquake of Mw 8.2+ although it is unknown if the megathrust is seismogenic up to

  14. A study of degradation of plates for nickel-cadmium spacecraft cells. [feasibility of coining

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Scott, W. R.

    1973-01-01

    The relative merits of coining and not coining of sintered nickel-oxide and cadmium plates was investigated. A survey of the industry including cell manufactures and users was made and results summarized. Sample plate materials from most commercial cell suppliers were obtained and characterized for properties that may correlate with the tendency toward physical disintegration during handling and over long periods of time in the cell. Special test methods were developed to obtain comparative data in a short time. A wide range of physical properties and coining thicknesses was observed, resulting in a range of responses. The stronger, less brittle materials resisted loss of sinter better than weaker materials whether or not coined. Coining improved handling and resistance to electrochemical cycling in all materials tested. An apparent exception was found to be due to improper coining of a tapered edge.

  15. Model based optimization of driver-pickup separation for eddy current measurement of gap

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klein, G.; Morelli, J.; Krause, T. W.

    2018-04-01

    The fuel channels in CANDU® (CANada Deuterium Uranium) nuclear reactors consist of a pressure tube (PT) contained within a larger diameter calandria tube (CT). The separation between the tubes, known as the PT-CT gap, ensures PT hydride blisters, which could lead to potential cracking of the PT, do not develop. Therefore, accurate measurements are required to confirm that contact between PT and CT is not imminent. Gap measurement uses an eddy current probe. However this probe is sensitive to lift-off variations, which can adversely affect estimated gap. A validated analytical flat plate model of eddy current response to gap was used to examine the effect of driver-pickup spacing on lift-off and response to gap at a frequency of 4 kHz, which is used for in-reactor measurements. This model was compared against, and shown to have good agreement with, a COMSOL® finite element method (FEM) model. The optimum coil separation, which included the constraint of coil size, was found to be 11 mm, resulting in a phase response between lift-off and response to change in gap of 66°. This work demonstrates the advantages of using analytical models for optimizing coil designs for measurement of parameters that may negatively influence the outcome of an inspection measurement.

  16. Pressure gradient effects on heat transfer to reusable surface insulation tile-array gaps

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Throckmorton, D. A.

    1975-01-01

    An experimental investigation was performed to determine the effect of pressure gradient on the heat transfer within space shuttle reusable surface insulation (RSI) tile-array gaps under thick, turbulent boundary-layer conditions. Heat-transfer and pressure measurements were obtained on a curved array of full-scale simulated RSI tiles in a tunnel-wall boundary layer at a nominal free-stream Mach number and free-stream Reynolds numbers. Transverse pressure gradients of varying degree were induced over the model surface by rotating the curved array with respect to the flow. Definition of the tunnel-wall boundary-layer flow was obtained by measurement of boundary-layer pitot pressure profiles, wall pressure, and heat transfer. Flat-plate heat-transfer data were correlated and a method was derived for prediction of heat transfer to a smooth curved surface in the highly three-dimensional tunnel-wall boundary-layer flow. Pressure on the floor of the RSI tile-array gap followed the trends of the external surface pressure. Heat transfer to the surface immediately downstream of a transverse gap is higher than that for a smooth surface at the same location. Heating to the wall of a transverse gap, and immediately downstream of it, at its intersection with a longitudinal gap is significantly greater than that for the simple transverse gap.

  17. The bipolar plate of AISI 1045 steel with chromized coatings prepared by low-temperature pack cementation for proton exchange membrane fuel cell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bai, Ching-Yuan; Wen, Tse-Min; Hou, Kung-Hsu; Ger, Ming-Der

    The low-temperature pack chromization, a reforming pack cementation process, is employed to modify AISI 1045 steel for the application of bipolar plates in PEMFC. The process is conducted to yield a coating, containing major Cr-carbides and minor Cr-nitrides, on the substrate in view of enhancing the steel's corrosion resistance and lowering interfacial contact resistance between the bipolar plate and gas diffusion layer. Electrical discharge machining and rolling approach are used as the pretreatment to produce an activated surface on the steel before pack chromization process to reduce operating temperatures and increase deposition rates. The rolled-chromized steel shows the lowest corrosion current density, 3 × 10 -8 A cm -2, and the smallest interfacial contact resistance, 5.9 mΩ cm 2, at 140 N cm -2 among all tested steels. This study clearly states the performance of 1045 carbon steel modified by activated and low-temperature pack chromization processes, which possess the potential to be bipolar plates in the application of PEMFC.

  18. Mind the gap: Neural coding of species identity in birdsong prosody.

    PubMed

    Araki, Makoto; Bandi, M M; Yazaki-Sugiyama, Yoko

    2016-12-09

    Juvenile songbirds learn vocal communication from adult tutors of the same species but not from adults of other species. How species-specific learning emerges from the basic features of song prosody remains unknown. In the zebra finch auditory cortex, we discovered a class of neurons that register the silent temporal gaps between song syllables and are distinct from neurons encoding syllable morphology. Behavioral learning and neuronal coding of temporal gap structure resisted song tutoring from other species: Zebra finches fostered by Bengalese finch parents learned Bengalese finch song morphology transposed onto zebra finch temporal gaps. During the vocal learning period, temporal gap neurons fired selectively to zebra finch song. The innate temporal coding of intersyllable silent gaps suggests a neuronal barcode for conspecific vocal learning and social communication in acoustically diverse environments. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  19. Atomic layer deposition of alternative glass microchannel plates

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

    O'Mahony, Aileen, E-mail: aom@incomusa.com; Craven, Christopher A.; Minot, Michael J.

    The technique of atomic layer deposition (ALD) has enabled the development of alternative glass microchannel plates (MCPs) with independently tunable resistive and emissive layers, resulting in excellent thickness uniformity across the large area (20 × 20 cm), high aspect ratio (60:1 L/d) glass substrates. Furthermore, the use of ALD to deposit functional layers allows the optimal substrate material to be selected, such as borosilicate glass, which has many benefits compared to the lead-oxide glass used in conventional MCPs, including increased stability and lifetime, low background noise, mechanical robustness, and larger area (at present up to 400 cm{sup 2}). Resistively stable, high gain MCPs are demonstratedmore » due to the deposition of uniform ALD resistive and emissive layers on alternative glass microcapillary substrates. The MCP performance characteristics reported include increased stability and lifetime, low background noise (0.04 events cm{sup −2} s{sup −1}), and low gain variation (±5%)« less

  20. Codoping method for the fabrication of low-resistivity wide band-gap semiconductors in p-type GaN, p-type AlN and n-type diamond: prediction versus experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Katayama-Yoshida, H.; Nishimatsu, T.; Yamamoto, T.; Orita, N.

    2001-10-01

    We review our new valence control method of a co-doping for the fabrication of low-resistivity p-type GaN, p-type AlN and n-type diamond. The co-doping method is proposed based upon ab initio electronic structure calculation in order to solve the uni-polarity and the compensation problems in the wide band-gap semiconductors. In the co-doping method, we dope both the acceptors and donors at the same time by forming the meta-stable acceptor-donor-acceptor complexes for the p-type or donor-acceptor-donor complexes for the n-type under thermal non-equilibrium crystal growth conditions. We propose the following co-doping method to fabricate the low-resistivity wide band-gap semiconductors; p-type GaN: [Si + 2 Mg (or Be)], [H + 2 Mg (or Be)], [O + 2 Mg (or Be)], p-type AlN: [O + 2 C] and n-type diamond: [B + 2 N], [H + S], [H + 2 P]. We compare our prediction of the co-doping method with the recent successful experiments to fabricate the low-resistivity p-type GaN, p-type AlN and n-type diamond. We show that the co-doping method is the efficient and universal doping method by which to avoid carrier compensation with an increase of the solubility of the dopant, to increase the activation rate by decreasing the ionization energy of acceptors and donors, and to increase the mobility of the carrier.

  1. Deep Seismic Reflection Images of the Sumatra Seismic and Aseismic Gaps

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, S. C.; Hananto, N. D.; Chauhan, A.; Carton, H. D.; Midenet, S.; Djajadihardja, Y.

    2009-12-01

    The Sumatra subduction zone is seismically most active region on the Earth, and has been the site of three great earthquakes only in the last four years. The first of the series, the 2004 Boxing Day earthquake, broke 1300 km of the plate boundary and produced the devastating tsunami around the Indian Ocean. The second great earthquake occurred three months later in March 2005, about 150 km SE of the 2004 event. The Earth waited for three years, and then broke again in September 2007 at 1300 km SE of the 2004 event producing a twin earthquake of magnitudes of 8.5 and 7.9 at an interval of 12 hours, leaving a seismic gap of about 600 km between the second and third earthquake, the Sumatra Seismic Gap. Seismological and geodetic studies suggest that this gap is fully locked and may break any time. In order to study the seismic and tsunami risk in this locked region, a deep seismic reflection survey (Tsunami Investigation Deep Evaluation Seismic -TIDES) was carried out in May 2009 using the CGGVeritas vessel Geowave Champion towing a 15 long streamer, the longest ever used during a seismic survey, to image the nature of the subducting plate and associated features, including the seismogenic zone, from seafloor down to 50 km depth. A total of 1700 km of deep seismic reflection data were acquired. Three dip lines traverse the Sumatra subduction zone; one going through the Sumatra Seismic Gap, one crossing the region that broke during the 2007 great earthquake, and one going through the aseismic zone. These three dip profiles should provide insight about the locking mechanism and help us to understand why an earthquake occurs in one zone and not in aseismic zone. A strike-line was shot in the forearc basin connecting the locked zone with broken zone profiles, which should provide insight about barriers that might have stopped propagation of 2007 earthquake rupture further northward.

  2. Stretching morphogenesis of the roof plate and formation of the central canal.

    PubMed

    Kondrychyn, Igor; Teh, Cathleen; Sin, Melvin; Korzh, Vladimir

    2013-01-01

    Neurulation is driven by apical constriction of actomyosin cytoskeleton resulting in conversion of the primitive lumen into the central canal in a mechanism driven by F-actin constriction, cell overcrowding and buildup of axonal tracts. The roof plate of the neural tube acts as the dorsal morphogenetic center and boundary preventing midline crossing by neural cells and axons. The roof plate zebrafish transgenics expressing cytosolic GFP were used to study and describe development of this structure in vivo for a first time ever. The conversion of the primitive lumen into the central canal causes significant morphogenetic changes of neuroepithelial cells in the dorsal neural tube. We demonstrated that the roof plate cells stretch along the D-V axis in parallel with conversion of the primitive lumen into central canal and its ventral displacement. Importantly, the stretching of the roof plate is well-coordinated along the whole spinal cord and the roof plate cells extend 3× in length to cover 2/3 of the neural tube diameter. This process involves the visco-elastic extension of the roof place cytoskeleton and depends on activity of Zic6 and the Rho-associated kinase (Rock). In contrast, stretching of the floor plate is much less extensive. The extension of the roof plate requires its attachment to the apical complex of proteins at the surface of the central canal, which depends on activity of Zic6 and Rock. The D-V extension of the roof plate may change a range and distribution of morphogens it produces. The resistance of the roof plate cytoskeleton attenuates ventral displacement of the central canal in illustration of the novel mechanical role of the roof plate during development of the body axis.

  3. Stretching Morphogenesis of the Roof Plate and Formation of the Central Canal

    PubMed Central

    Kondrychyn, Igor; Teh, Cathleen; Sin, Melvin; Korzh, Vladimir

    2013-01-01

    Background Neurulation is driven by apical constriction of actomyosin cytoskeleton resulting in conversion of the primitive lumen into the central canal in a mechanism driven by F-actin constriction, cell overcrowding and buildup of axonal tracts. The roof plate of the neural tube acts as the dorsal morphogenetic center and boundary preventing midline crossing by neural cells and axons. Methodology/Principal Findings The roof plate zebrafish transgenics expressing cytosolic GFP were used to study and describe development of this structure in vivo for a first time ever. The conversion of the primitive lumen into the central canal causes significant morphogenetic changes of neuroepithelial cells in the dorsal neural tube. We demonstrated that the roof plate cells stretch along the D–V axis in parallel with conversion of the primitive lumen into central canal and its ventral displacement. Importantly, the stretching of the roof plate is well-coordinated along the whole spinal cord and the roof plate cells extend 3× in length to cover 2/3 of the neural tube diameter. This process involves the visco-elastic extension of the roof place cytoskeleton and depends on activity of Zic6 and the Rho-associated kinase (Rock). In contrast, stretching of the floor plate is much less extensive. Conclusions/Significance The extension of the roof plate requires its attachment to the apical complex of proteins at the surface of the central canal, which depends on activity of Zic6 and Rock. The D–V extension of the roof plate may change a range and distribution of morphogens it produces. The resistance of the roof plate cytoskeleton attenuates ventral displacement of the central canal in illustration of the novel mechanical role of the roof plate during development of the body axis. PMID:23409159

  4. Seismicity of the Indo-Australian/Solomon Sea Plate boundary in the Southeast Papua region

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ripper, I. D.

    1982-08-01

    Seismicity and earthquake focal mechanism plots of the Southeast Papua and Woodlark Basin region for the period January 1960 to May 1979 show that: (a) the West Woodlark Basin spreading centre extends from the deep West Woodlark Basin, through Dawson Strait into Goodenough Bay, Southeast Papua; (b) a southeast seismic trend in the West Woodlark Basin is associated with a left-lateral transform fault, but a gap exists between this zone and the seismic East Woodlark Basin spreading centre; (c) Southeast Papua Seismicity divides into a shallow earthquake zone in which the earthquakes occur mainly in the northeast side of the Owen Stanley Range, and an intermediate depth southwest dipping Benioff zone which extends almost from Mt. Lamington to Goroka. The Benioff zone indicates the presence of a southwest dipping slab of Solomon Sea Plate beneath the Indo-Australian Plate in the Southeast Papua and Ramu-Markham Valley region. This subduction zone has collided with the New Britain subduction zone of the Solomon Sea Plate along the Ramu-Markham Valley. The Solomon Sea Plate is now hanging suspended in the form of an arch beneath Ramu-Markham Valley, inhibiting further subduction beneath Southeast Papua.

  5. Effect of selected solutes on growth and recovery of a radiation-resistant Moraxella

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

    Bruns, M.A.; Maxcy, R.B.

    1978-01-01

    A highly radiation-resistant Moraxella sp. from beef was more resistant to gamma radiation in frozen beef than Clostridium botulinum 33A spores. Even though the Moraxella sp. was extremely radiation-resistant, its recovery after irradiation was markedly influenced by the plating medium. Fewer colony-forming units were recovered in Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA) than in Plate Count Agar (PCA), and differences in recovery became more pronounced with increasing radiation dose. Growth studies of the nonirradiated Moraxella sp. suggested the presence of dialyzable inhibitory factor(s) in Trypticase Soy Broth (TSB) and TSA. The low (0.5 percent) concentration of NaCl in TSA was shown tomore » be mainly responsible for the slow growth and reduced recovery after irradiation. Reduced recovery was also obtained by plating the Moraxella sp. in PCA plus 0.5 percent NaCl or PCA plus 6 percent glucose after irradiation. It was noted that 2 other highly radiation-resistant isolates identified as Moraxella sp. gave similar results. Sensitivity to low solute concentrations, therefore, appeared to be a general phenomenon for this group.« less

  6. Angular shear plate

    DOEpatents

    Ruda, Mitchell C [Tucson, AZ; Greynolds, Alan W [Tucson, AZ; Stuhlinger, Tilman W [Tucson, AZ

    2009-07-14

    One or more disc-shaped angular shear plates each include a region thereon having a thickness that varies with a nonlinear function. For the case of two such shear plates, they are positioned in a facing relationship and rotated relative to each other. Light passing through the variable thickness regions in the angular plates is refracted. By properly timing the relative rotation of the plates and by the use of an appropriate polynomial function for the thickness of the shear plate, light passing therethrough can be focused at variable positions.

  7. Development of fuel cell bipolar plates from graphite filled wet-lay thermoplastic composite materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Jianhua; Baird, Donald G.; McGrath, James E.

    A method with the potential to produce economical bipolar plates with high electrical conductivity and mechanical properties is described. Thermoplastic composite materials consisting of graphite particles, thermoplastic fibers and glass or carbon fibers are generated by means of a wet-lay (paper-making) process to yield highly formable sheets. The sheets are then stacked and compression molded to form bipolar plates with gas flow channels. Poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) based wet-lay composite plates have in-plane conductivity of 200-300 S cm -1, tensile strength of 57 MPa, flexural strength of 96 MPa and impact strength (unnotched) of 81 J m -1 (1.5 ft-lb in. -1). These values well exceed industrial as well as Department of Energy requirements or targets and have never been reached before for composite bipolar plates. The use of wet-lay sheets also makes it possible to choose different components including polymer, graphite particle and reinforcement for the core and outer layers of the plate, respectively, to optimize the properties and/or reduce the cost of the plate. The through-plane conductivity (around 20 S cm -1) and half-cell resistance of the bipolar plate indicate that the through-plane conductivity of the material needs some improvement.

  8. Importance of a moderate plate-to-bone distance for the functioning of the far cortical locking system.

    PubMed

    Yang, Jesse Chieh-Szu; Lin, Kang-Ping; Wei, Hung-Wen; Chen, Wen-Chuan; Chiang, Chao-Ching; Chang, Ming-Chau; Tsai, Cheng-Lun; Lin, Kun-Jhih

    2018-06-01

    The far cortical locking (FCL) system, a novel bridge-plating technique, aims to deliver controlled and symmetric interfragmentary motion for a potential uniform callus distribution. However, clinical data for the practical use of this system are limited. The current study investigated the biomechanical effect of a locking plate/far cortical locking construct on a simulated comminuted diaphyseal fracture of the synthetic bones at different distance between the plate and the bone. Biomechanical in vitro experiments were performed using composite sawbones as bone models. A 10-mm osteotomy gap was created and bridged with FCL constructs to determine the construct stiffness, strength, and interfragmentary movement under axial compression, which comprised one of three methods: locking plates applied flush to bone, at 2 mm, or at 4 mm from the bone. The plate applied flush to the bone exhibited higher stiffness than those at 2 mm and 4 mm plate elevation. A homogeneous interfragmentary motion at the near and far cortices was observed for the plate at 2 mm, whereas a relatively large movement was observed at the far cortex for the plate applied at 4 mm. A plate-to-bone distance of 2 mm had the advantages of reducing axial stiffness and providing nearly parallel interfragmentary motion. The plate flush to the bone prohibits the dynamic function of the far cortical locking mechanism, and the 4-mm offset was too unstable for fracture healing. Copyright © 2018 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. A comparison between orthogonal and parallel plating methods for distal humerus fractures: a prospective randomized trial.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sang Ki; Kim, Kap Jung; Park, Kyung Hoon; Choy, Won Sik

    2014-10-01

    With the continuing improvements in implants for distal humerus fractures, it is expected that newer types of plates, which are anatomically precontoured, thinner and less irritating to soft tissue, would have comparable outcomes when used in a clinical study. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes in patients with distal humerus fractures who were treated with orthogonal and parallel plating methods using precontoured distal humerus plates. Sixty-seven patients with a mean age of 55.4 years (range 22-90 years) were included in this prospective study. The subjects were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 2 treatments: orthogonal or parallel plating. The following results were assessed: operating time, time to fracture union, presence of a step or gap at the articular margin, varus-valgus angulation, functional recovery, and complications. No intergroup differences were observed based on radiological and clinical results between the groups. In our practice, no significant differences were found between the orthogonal and parallel plating methods in terms of clinical outcomes, mean operation time, union time, or complication rates. There were no cases of fracture nonunion in either group; heterotrophic ossification was found 3 patients in orthogonal plating group and 2 patients in parallel plating group. In our practice, no significant differences were found between the orthogonal and parallel plating methods in terms of clinical outcomes or complication rates. However, orthogonal plating method may be preferred in cases of coronal shear fractures, where posterior to anterior fixation may provide additional stability to the intraarticular fractures. Additionally, parallel plating method may be the preferred technique used for fractures that occur at the most distal end of the humerus.

  10. Map the gap: missing children with drug-resistant tuberculosis

    PubMed Central

    Yuen, C. M.; Rodriguez, C. A.; Keshavjee, S.

    2015-01-01

    Background: The lack of published information about children with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is an obstacle to efforts to advocate for better diagnostics and treatment. Objective: To describe the lack of recognition in the published literature of MDR-TB and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) in children. Design: We conducted a systematic search of the literature published in countries that reported any MDR- or XDR-TB case by 2012 to identify MDR- or XDR-TB cases in adults and in children. Results: Of 184 countries and territories that reported any case of MDR-TB during 2005–2012, we identified adult MDR-TB cases in the published literature in 143 (78%) countries and pediatric MDR-TB cases in 78 (42%) countries. Of the 92 countries that reported any case of XDR-TB, we identified adult XDR-TB cases in the published literature in 55 (60%) countries and pediatric XDR-TB cases for 9 (10%) countries. Conclusion: The absence of publications documenting child MDR- and XDR-TB cases in settings where MDR- and XDR-TB in adults have been reported indicates both exclusion of childhood disease from the public discourse on drug-resistant TB and likely underdetection of sick children. Our results highlight a large-scale lack of awareness about children with MDR- and XDR-TB. PMID:26400601

  11. Study on the leakage flow through a clearance gap between two stationary walls

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, W.; Billdal, J. T.; Nielsen, T. K.; Brekke, H.

    2012-11-01

    In the present paper, the leakage flow in the clearance gap between stationary walls was studied experimentally, theoretically and numerically by the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in order to find the relationship between leakage flow, pressure difference and clearance gap. The experimental set-up of the clearance gap between two stationary walls is the simplification of the gap between the guide vane faces and facing plates in Francis turbines. This model was built in the Waterpower laboratory at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The empirical formula for calculating the leakage flow rate between the two stationary walls was derived from the empirical study. The experimental model is simulated by computational fluid dynamics employing the ANSYS CFX commercial software in order to study the flow structure. Both numerical simulation results and empirical formula results are in good agreement with the experimental results. The correction of the empirical formula is verified by experimental data and has been proven to be very useful in terms of quickly predicting the leakage flow rate in the guide vanes for hydraulic turbines.

  12. Deposition of Cu-doped PbS thin films with low resistivity using DC sputtering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Soetedjo, Hariyadi; Siswanto, Bambang; Aziz, Ihwanul; Sudjatmoko

    2018-03-01

    Investigation of the electrical resistivity of Cu-doped PbS thin films has been carried out. The films were prepared using a DC sputtering technique. The doping was achieved by introducing the Cu dopant plate material directly on the surface of the PbS sputtering target plate. SEM-EDX data shows the Cu concentration in the PbS film to be proportional to the Cu plate diameter. The XRD pattern indicates the film is in crystalline cubic form. The Hall effect measurement shows that Cu doping yields an increase in the carrier concentration to 3.55 × 1019 cm-3 and a significant decrease in electrical resistivity. The lowest resistivity obtained was 0.13 Ωcm for a Cu concentration of 18.5%. Preferential orientation of (1 1 1) and (2 0 0) occurs during deposition.

  13. Possible microplate generation at RRR triple junctions due to the non-circular finite motion of plates relative to each other

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cronin, V. S.

    2012-12-01

    First generation ideas of the kinematic stability of triple junctions lead to the common belief that the geometry of ridge-ridge-ridge (RRR) triple junctions remains constant over time under conditions of symmetric spreading. Given constant relative motion between each plate pair -- that is, the pole of plate relative motion is fixed to both plates in each pair during finite motion, as assumed in many accounts of plate kinematics -- there would be no boundary mismatch at the triple junction and no apparent kinematic reason why a microplate might develop there. But if, in a given RRR triple junction, the finite motion of one plate as observed from the other plate is not circular (as is generally the case, given the three-plate problem of plate kinematics), the geometry of the ridges and the triple junction will vary with time (Cronin, 1992, Tectonophys 207, 287-301). To explore the possible consequences of non-circular finite motion between plates at an RRR triple junction, a simple model was coded based on the cycloid finite-motion model (e.g., Cronin, 1987, Geology 15, 1006-1009) using NNR-MORVEL56 velocities for individual plates (Argus et al., 2011, G3 12, doi: 10.1029/2011GC003751). Initial assumptions include a spherical Earth, symmetric spreading, and constant angular velocities during the modeled finite time interval. The assumed-constant angular velocity vectors constitute a reference frame for observing finite plate motion. Typical results are [1] that the triple junction migrates relative to a coordinate system fixed to the angular-velocity vectors, [2] ridge axes rotates relative to each other, and [3] a boundary mismatch develops at the synthetic triple junction that might result in microplate nucleation. In a model simulating the Galapagos triple junction between the Cocos, Nazca and Pacific plates whose initial state did not include the Galapagos microplate, the mismatch gap was as much as ~3.4 km during 3 Myr of model displacement (see figure). The

  14. Enhanced stress corrosion cracking resistance and electrical conductivity of a T761 treated Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy thin plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Xu; Zhai, Sudan; Gao, Di; Liu, Ye; Xu, Jing; Liu, Yang

    2018-01-01

    The stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior, electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy pre-stretched thin plate for wing skin were researched in this paper. The microstructures and SCC fracture surfaces of the alloy treated at different conditions were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Results indicated that with the increasing of aging temperature, the electrical conductivity and the elongation increased greatly, while the strength decreased gradually which were closely associated with the type and morphology of the precipitates. Compared with the T6 treated alloy, the SCC resistance of the T761 treated Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy was improved greatly. The SCC behavior of the T6 treated alloy was dominated by anodic dissolution theory, whereas the hydrogen induced cracking controlled the fracture behavior of the T761 treated alloy which was influenced by the morphology of grain boundary precipitates in this investigated alloy.

  15. Thermal conductivity of a graphite bipolar plate (BPP) and its thermal contact resistance with fuel cell gas diffusion layers: Effect of compression, PTFE, micro porous layer (MPL), BPP out-of-flatness and cyclic load

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sadeghifar, Hamidreza; Djilali, Ned; Bahrami, Majid

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports on measurements of thermal conductivity of a graphite bipolar plate (BPP) as a function of temperature and its thermal contact resistance (TCR) with treated and untreated gas diffusion layers (GDLs). The thermal conductivity of the BPP decreases with temperature and its thermal contact resistance with GDLs, which has been overlooked in the literature, is found to be dominant over a relatively wide range of compression. The effects of PTFE loading, micro porous layer (MPL), compression, and BPP out-of-flatness are also investigated experimentally. It is found that high PTFE loadings, MPL and even small BPP out-of-flatness increase the BPP-GDL thermal contact resistance dramatically. The paper also presents the effect of cyclic load on the total resistance of a GDL-BPP assembly, which sheds light on the behavior of these materials under operating conditions in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.

  16. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex for first and second line drugs by broth dilution in a microtiter plate format.

    PubMed

    Hall, Leslie; Jude, Kurt P; Clark, Shirley L; Wengenack, Nancy L

    2011-06-24

    The rapid detection of antimicrobial resistance is important in the effort to control the increase in resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of Mtb has traditionally been performed by the agar method of proportion or by macrobroth testing on an instrument such as the BACTEC (Becton Dickinson, Sparks, MD), VersaTREK (TREK Diagnostics, Cleveland, OH) or BacT/ALERT (bioMérieux, Hazelwood, MO). The agar proportion method, while considered the "gold" standard of AST, is labor intensive and requires calculation of resistance by performing colony counts on drug-containing agar as compared to drug-free agar. If there is ≥1% growth on the drug-containing medium as compared to drug-free medium, the organism is considered resistant to that drug. The macrobroth methods require instrumentation and test break point ("critical") drug concentrations for the first line drugs (isoniazid, ethambutol, rifampin, and pyrazinamide). The method described here is commercially available in a 96 well microtiter plate format [MYCOTB (TREK Diagnostics)] and contains increasing concentrations of 12 antimicrobials used for treatment of tuberculosis including both first (isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol) and second line drugs (amikacin, cycloserine, ethionamide, kanamycin, moxifloxacin, ofloxacin, para-aminosalicylic acid, rifabutin, and streptomycin). Pyrazinamide, a first line drug, is not included in the microtiter plate due to its need for acidic test conditions. Advantages of the microtiter system include both ease of set up and faster turn around time (14 days) compared with traditional agar proportion (21 days). In addition, the plate can be set up from inoculum prepared using either broth or solid medium. Since the microtiter plate format is new and since Mtb presents unique safety challenges in the laboratory, this protocol will describe how to safely setup, incubate and read the microtiter plate.

  17. Discharge dynamics of pin-to-plate dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Liqun; Huang, Xiaojiang; Zhang, Jie; Zhang, Jing; Shi, J. J.

    2010-11-01

    The discharge dynamics of pin-to-plate dielectric barrier discharge was studied in atmospheric helium at 20 kHz. The discharge was predominately ignited in positive half cycle of applied voltage with sinusoidal waveform. The temporal evolution of the discharge was investigated vertically along the discharge gap and radically on the dielectric surface by time resolved imaging. It is found that a discharge column with a diameter of 2 mm was ignited above the pin electrode and expanded toward a plate electrode. On the dielectric surface with space charge accumulation, plasma disk in terms of plasma ring was formed with radius up to 25 mm. The expansion velocity of plasma ring can reach a hypersonic speed of 3.0 km/s. The ionization wave due to electron diffusion is considered to be the mechanism for plasma ring formation and dynamics.

  18. Investigation of nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge using plate-to-plate electrode with asymmetric dielectric arrangement in airflow

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

    Qi, Haicheng; School of Physics Science and Technology, Anshan Normal University, Anshan 114005; Fan, Zhihui

    Atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge plasma is produced in airflow by applying nanosecond high voltage pulses with peak voltage about 35 kV and rising time about 40 ns on a plate-to-plate electrode arrangement. The effects of airflow rate (0–50 m/s) on the discharge characteristics are investigated under different barrier conditions (the bare anode case and the bare cathode case). For both cases, the breakdown voltage and the time lag increase distinctly and the discharge intensity decreases sharply when the airflow rate increases from 0 to 30 m/s, and then keep almost constant until the airflow rate is further increased to 50 m/s. For the baremore » anode case (the cathode is covered by dielectric plate), the discharge mode transforms gradually from filamentary to diffuse discharge with the increasing airflow rate. While for the bare cathode case, some micro-discharge channels are still excited, though the discharge becomes more diffuse when the airflow rate is higher than 30 m/s. By acquiring the time-resolved images of the discharge, it is proved that it is the primary discharge which becomes diffuse when airflow is introduced and the following two discharges of the same voltage pulse occur principally at the positions where the primary discharge is more intense. And in both cases, the plasma temperatures are reduced, but the degree is different. All the phenomena can be explained mainly by the variation of the space charge distribution when the airflow is introduced into the discharge gap. And it is indicated that the bare anode case has an advantage in obtaining diffuse discharge.« less

  19. Cavitation erosion of silver plated coating at different temperatures and pressures

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

    Hattori, Shuji; Motoi, Yoshihiro; Kikuta, Kengo

    2014-04-11

    Cavitation often occurs in inducer pumps used for space rockets. Silver plated coating on the inducer liner faces the damage of cavitation. Therefore, it is important to study about the cavitation erosion resistance for silver plated coating at several operating conditions in the inducer pumps. In this study, the cavitation erosion tests were carried for silver plated coating in deionized water and ethanol at several liquid temperatures (273K–400K) and pressures (0.10MPa–0.48MPa). The mass loss rate is evaluated in terms of thermodynamic parameter Σ proposed by Brennen [9], suppression pressure p–p{sub v} (p{sub v}: saturated vapor pressure) and acoustic impedance ρcmore » (ρ: density and c: sound speed). Cavitation bubble behaviors depending on the thermodynamic effect and the liquid type were observed by high speed video camera. The mass loss rate is formulated by thermodynamic parameter Σ, suppression pressure p–p{sub v} and acoustic impedance ρc.« less

  20. Nonlinear dynamics of a circular piezoelectric plate for vibratory energy harvesting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yuan, Tian-Chen; Yang, Jian; Chen, Li-Qun

    2018-06-01

    Nonlinear behaviors are investigated for a vibration-based energy harvester. The harvester consists of a circular composite plate with the clamped boundary, a proof mass and two steel rings. The lumped parameter model of the harvester is established and the parameters are identified from the experiment. The measured nonlinear behaviors can be approximately described by the lumped model. Both the experimental and the numerical results demonstrate that the circular plate harvester has soft characteristics under low excitation and both hard characteristics and soft characteristics under high excitation. The experimental results show that the output voltage can achieve over 35 V (about 50 mW) and more than 14 Hz of bandwidth with 25 kΩ load resistance.

  1. Surface modified stainless steels for PEM fuel cell bipolar plates

    DOEpatents

    Brady, Michael P [Oak Ridge, TN; Wang, Heli [Littleton, CO; Turner, John A [Littleton, CO

    2007-07-24

    A nitridation treated stainless steel article (such as a bipolar plate for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell) having lower interfacial contact electrical resistance and better corrosion resistance than an untreated stainless steel article is disclosed. The treated stainless steel article has a surface layer including nitrogen-modified chromium-base oxide and precipitates of chromium nitride formed during nitridation wherein oxygen is present in the surface layer at a greater concentration than nitrogen. The surface layer may further include precipitates of titanium nitride and/or aluminum oxide. The surface layer in the treated article is chemically heterogeneous surface rather than a uniform or semi-uniform surface layer exclusively rich in chromium, titanium or aluminum. The precipitates of titanium nitride and/or aluminum oxide are formed by the nitriding treatment wherein titanium and/or aluminum in the stainless steel are segregated to the surface layer in forms that exhibit a low contact resistance and good corrosion resistance.

  2. Fluid-Structure Interactions as Flow Propagates Tangentially Over a Flexible Plate with Application to Voiced Speech Production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Westervelt, Andrea; Erath, Byron

    2013-11-01

    Voiced speech is produced by fluid-structure interactions that drive vocal fold motion. Viscous flow features influence the pressure in the gap between the vocal folds (i.e. glottis), thereby altering vocal fold dynamics and the sound that is produced. During the closing phases of the phonatory cycle, vortices form as a result of flow separation as air passes through the divergent glottis. It is hypothesized that the reduced pressure within a vortex core will alter the pressure distribution along the vocal fold surface, thereby aiding in vocal fold closure. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of intraglottal vortices on the fluid-structure interactions of voiced speech by investigating how the dynamics of a flexible plate are influenced by a vortex ring passing tangentially over it. A flexible plate, which models the medial vocal fold surface, is placed in a water-filled tank and positioned parallel to the exit of a vortex generator. The physical parameters of plate stiffness and vortex circulation are scaled with physiological values. As vortices propagate over the plate, particle image velocimetry measurements are captured to analyze the energy exchange between the fluid and flexible plate. The investigations are performed over a range of vortex formation numbers, and lateral displacements of the plate from the centerline of the vortex trajectory. Observations show plate oscillations with displacements directly correlated with the vortex core location.

  3. Alps, Carpathians and Dinarides-Hellenides: about plates, micro-plates and delaminated crustal blocks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmid, Stefan

    2014-05-01

    plate did set in (van Hinsbergen & Schmid 2012). Dinarides and northern Hellenides presently expose either a rather short (about 200km), or in case of northern Dalmatia, no mantle slab at all, due to recent slab break-off (Ustaszewski et al. 2008 and referenes therein). The slab gap in northern Dalmatia is instrumental in allowing for the flow of asthenospheric mantle into the Pannonian realm necessary to drive asthenospheric upwelling in the Pannonian basin. At the same time it allows for the roll back of the Aegean slab. Bijwaard, H., Spakman, W., and Engdahl, E.R., 1998. Closing the gap between regional and global travel time tomography: Journal of Geophysical Research, 103: 30'055-30'078. Jolivet, L., and J.-P. Brun, 2010. Cenozoic geodynamic evolution of the Aegean, Int. J. Earth Sci. 99: 109-138, doi:10.1007/s00531-008-0366-4. Schmid, S.M., Bernoulli, D., Fügenschuh, B., Matenco, L., Schefer, S., Schuster, R., Tischler, M. & Ustaszewski, K., 2008. The Alpine-Carpathian-Dinaridic orogenic system: correlation and evolution of tectonic units. Swiss Journal of Geosciences, 101(1): 139-183. Ustaszewski, K., Schmid, S.M., Fügenschuh, B., Tischler, M., Kissling, E. & Spakman, W. 2008. A map-view restoration of the Alpine-Carpathian-Dinaridic system for the Early Miocene. In: Orogenic processes in the Alpine collision zone (N. Froitzheim & S.M. Schmid, editors), Swiss Journal of Geosciences 101/Supplement 1: S273-S294. van Hinsbergen, D.J.J. & Schmid, S.M., 2012: Map view restoration of Aegean-West Anatolian accretion and extension since the Eocene. Tectonics 31: TC5005, doi:10.1029/2012TC003132.

  4. Fixed-angle plates in patella fractures - a pilot cadaver study

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Objective Modified anterior tension wiring with K-wires and cannulated lag screws with anterior tension wiring are currently the fixation of choice for patellar fractures. Failure of fixation, migration of the wires, postoperative pain and resulting revision surgery, however, are not uncommon. After preliminary biomechanical testing of a new fixed-angle plate system especially designed for fixation of patella fractures the aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical and anatomical feasibility of implanting such a plate-device at the human patella. Methods In six fresh unfixed female cadavers without history of previous fractures around the knee (average age 88.8 years) a bilateral fixed-angle plate fixation of the patella was carried out after previous placement of a transverse central osteotomy. Operative time, intra-operative problems, degree of retropatellar arthritis (following Outerbridge), quality of reduction and existence of any intraarticular screw placement have been raised. In addition, lateral and anteroposterior radiographs of all specimens were made. Results Due to the high average age of 88.8 years no patella showed an unimpaired retropatellar articular surface and all were severely osteoporotic, which made a secure fixation of the reduction forceps during surgery difficult. The operation time averaged 49 minutes (range: 36-65). Although in postoperative X-rays the fracture gap between the fragments was still visible, the analysis of the retropatellar surface showed no residual articular step or dehiscence > 0.5 mm. Also in a total of 24 inserted screws not one intraarticular malposition was found. No intraoperative complications were noticed. Conclusions Osteosynthesis of a medial third patella fracture with a bilateral fixed-angle plate-device is surgically and anatomically feasible without difficulties. Further studies have to depict whether the bilateral fixed-angle plate-osteosynthesis of the patella displays advantages over the established

  5. Experimental Evaluation of Beam to Diamond Box Column Connection with Through Plate in Moment Frames

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keshavarzi, Farhad; Mirghaderi, Rasoul; Torabian, Shahabeddin; Imanpour, Ali

    2008-07-01

    Moment resisting frames with built up section have very enhanced features due to high bending stiffness and strength characteristics in two principal axes and access to column faces for beam to column easy connections. But due to proper transfer of beam stresses to column faces there were always some specific controvertibly issues that how to make the load transfer through and in plane manner in order to mobilize the forces in column faces. Using diamond column instead of box column provide possibility to mobilize the load transfer mechanism in column faces. This section as a column has considerable benefit such as high plastic to elastic section modulus ratio which is an effective factor for force controlled components. Typical connection has no chance to be applied with diamond column. This paper elucidates the seismic behavior of through-plates moment connections to diamond box columns for use in steel moment resisting frames. This connection has a lot of economical benefits such as no need to horizontal continuity plates and satisfying the weak beam—strong column criteria in the connection region. They might serve as panel zone plates as well. According to high shear demand in panel zone of beam to column joint one should use the doublers plates in order to decrease the shear strength demand in this sensitive part of structure but these plates have no possibility to mobilize the load transfer mechanism in column web and transfer them to column flanges. In this type of connection, column faces have effective role in order to decrease the demands on through plate and they are impressive factors for improving the performance of the connection. Experimental analysis was conducted to elucidate the seismic behavior of this connection. The results of Experimental analysis established the effectiveness of the through plate in mitigating local stress concentrations and forming the plastic hinge zone in the beam away from the beam to column interface. The moment

  6. Electrochemical cell has internal resistive heater element

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Colston, E. F.; Ford, F. E.; Hennigan, T. J.

    1968-01-01

    External source supplies power to electrochemical cells containing internal resistive heater element. Each cell plate is individually contained in its own Pellon bag, enabling the heater element to be arranged in a continuous, parallel circuit.

  7. Evidence for gap anisotropy in SmB6

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Derr, J.; Knebel, G.; Lapertot, G.; Salce, B.; Kunii, S.; Flouquet, J.

    2007-03-01

    Resistivity measurements under uniaxial stress have been performed on the intermediate valence compound SmB6 for various directions of the crystal. The experimental technique allows us to explore a limited pressure area (basically 0-3 kbar). Nevertheless, the results clearly show an anisotropy; indeed, the effect of the stress in the decrease of the residual resistivity is much higher in the <1 1 1> direction than in the <1 0 0> and the <1 1 0> orientations. This change is witness to the gap anisotropy which must be linked to the theory of excitonic semiconductors.

  8. On optimization of a composite bone plate using the selective stress shielding approach.

    PubMed

    Samiezadeh, Saeid; Tavakkoli Avval, Pouria; Fawaz, Zouheir; Bougherara, Habiba

    2015-02-01

    , while the composite plate lowered the stiffness by 32.9% as compared to the intact femur. This study proposed a number of guidelines for the design of composite bone plates. The findings suggest that a composite bone plate could be customized to allow for moderate compressive force on the fracture ends, while remaining relatively rigid in bending and torsion and strong enough to withstand external loads when a fracture gap is present. The results indicate that the proposed composite bone plate could be a potential candidate for bone fracture plate applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Accelerated plate tectonics.

    PubMed

    Anderson, D L

    1975-03-21

    The concept of a stressed elastic lithospheric plate riding on a viscous asthenosphere is used to calculate the recurrence interval of great earthquakes at convergent plate boundaries, the separation of decoupling and lithospheric earthquakes, and the migration pattern of large earthquakes along an arc. It is proposed that plate motions accelerate after great decoupling earthquakes and that most of the observed plate motions occur during short periods of time, separated by periods of relative quiescence.

  10. Anterior inferior plating versus superior plating for clavicle fracture: a meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Ai, Jie; Kan, Shun-Li; Li, Hai-Liang; Xu, Hong; Liu, Yang; Ning, Guang-Zhi; Feng, Shi-Qing

    2017-04-18

    The position of plate fixation for clavicle fracture remains controversial. Our objective was to perform a comprehensive review of the literature and quantify the surgical parameters and clinical indexes between the anterior inferior plating and superior plating for clavicle fracture. PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomized and non-randomized studies that compared the anterior inferior plating with the superior plating for clavicle fracture. The relative risk or standardized mean difference with 95% confidence interval was calculated using either a fixed- or random-effects model. Four randomized controlled trials and eight observational studies were identified to compare the surgical parameters and clinical indexes. For the surgical parameters, the anterior inferior plating group was better than the superior plating group in operation time and blood loss (P < 0.05). Furthermore, in terms of clinical indexes, the anterior inferior plating was superior to the superior plating in reducing the union time, and the two kinds of plate fixation methods were comparable in constant score, and the rate of infection, nonunion, and complications (P > 0.05). Based on the current evidence, the anterior inferior plating may reduce the blood loss, the operation and union time, but no differences were observed in constant score, and the rate of infection, nonunion, and complications between the two groups. Given that some of the studies have low quality, more randomized controlled trails with high quality should be conduct to further verify the findings.

  11. Techniques for Reducing Thermal Contact Resistance in Steady-State Thermal Conductivity Measurements on Polymer Composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stacey, C.; Simpkin, A. J.; Jarrett, R. N.

    2016-11-01

    The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has developed a new variation on the established guarded hot plate technique for steady-state measurements of thermal conductivity. This new guarded hot plate has been specifically designed for making measurements on specimens with a thickness that is practical for advanced industrial composite materials and applications. During the development of this new guarded hot plate, NPL carried out an experimental investigation into methods for minimising the thermal contact resistance between the test specimen and the plates of the apparatus. This experimental investigation included tests on different thermal interface materials for use in another NPL facility based on a commercial guarded heat flow meter apparatus conforming to standard ASTM E1530-11. The results show the effect of applying different quantities of the type of heat transfer compound suggested in ASTM E1530-11 (clause 10.7.3) and also the effect on thermal resistance of alternative types of thermal interface products. The optimum quantities of two silicone greases were determined, and a silicone grease filled with copper was found to offer the best combination of repeatability, small hysteresis effect and a low thermal contact resistance. However, two products based on a textured indium foil and pyrolytic graphite sheet were found to offer similar or better reductions in thermal contact resistance, but with quicker, easier application and the advantages of protecting the apparatus plates from damage and being useable with specimen materials that would otherwise absorb silicone grease.

  12. Structure of the tsunamigenic plate boundary and low-frequency earthquakes in the southern Ryukyu Trench

    PubMed Central

    Arai, Ryuta; Takahashi, Tsutomu; Kodaira, Shuichi; Kaiho, Yuka; Nakanishi, Ayako; Fujie, Gou; Nakamura, Yasuyuki; Yamamoto, Yojiro; Ishihara, Yasushi; Miura, Seiichi; Kaneda, Yoshiyuki

    2016-01-01

    It has been recognized that even weakly coupled subduction zones may cause large interplate earthquakes leading to destructive tsunamis. The Ryukyu Trench is one of the best fields to study this phenomenon, since various slow earthquakes and tsunamis have occurred; yet the fault structure and seismic activity there are poorly constrained. Here we present seismological evidence from marine observation for megathrust faults and low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs). On the basis of passive observation we find LFEs occur at 15–18 km depths along the plate interface and their distribution seems to bridge the gap between the shallow tsunamigenic zone and the deep slow slip region. This suggests that the southern Ryukyu Trench is dominated by slow earthquakes at any depths and lacks a typical locked zone. The plate interface is overlaid by a low-velocity wedge and is accompanied by polarity reversals of seismic reflections, indicating fluids exist at various depths along the plate interface. PMID:27447546

  13. Ridge-crossing mantle plumes and gaps in tracks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sleep, Norman H.

    2002-12-01

    Hot spot tracks approach, cross, and leave ridge axes. The complications of this process make it difficult to determine the track followed by a plume and the evolution of its vigor. When a plume is sufficiently near the ridge axis, buoyant plume material flows along the base of the lithosphere toward the axis, forming an on-axis hot spot. The track of the on-axis hot spot is a symmetric V on both plates and an unreliable indication of the path followed by the plume. Aseismic ridges form more or less along flowlines from a plume to a ridge axis when channels form at the base of the lithosphere. A dynamic effect is that off-axis hot spots appear to shut off at the time that an on-axis hot spot becomes active along an axis-approaching track. This produces a gap in the obvious track and a jump of the hot spot to the ridge axis. The gap results from the effects of ponded plume material on intraplate (membrane) stress. Membrane tension lets dikes ascend efficiently to produce obvious tracks of edifices. An off-axis hot spot shuts down when the plume is sufficiently near the ridge axis that plume material flows there, putting the nearby lithosphere above the plume into compression, preventing dikes. In addition, the off-axis thickness of plume material, which produces membrane tension, decreases as the slope of the base of the lithosphere increases beneath young lithosphere. Slow spreading rates favor gaps produced in this way. Gaps are observed near both fast and slow ridges.

  14. The subsidiary gap as a means for improving ignition

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gorton, W S

    1920-01-01

    This report was prepared at the Bureau of Standards for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Additional or subsidiary gaps have frequently been used in jump-spark ignition systems, in order to cause the resumption of sparking in fouled spark plugs. The series gap, to which the greater part of this report is devoted, is a subsidiary gap in the connection between the high tension terminal of the plug and that of the magneto or coil. A brief account is given of the use of this gap up to the present time and also of the statements concerning it which have gained some currency, most of which are shown to be erroneous. The simple theory of the action of the series gap is discussed and a detailed account given of the effect upon the sparking ability of the plug produced by changes in the values of the electrical resistance of the fouling and of the capacities in parallel with the plug and with the magneto or coil. This report presents the results of an investigation into the utility, action, and design of the auxiliary spark gap as a means for insuring freedom from spark plug failure due to fouling, and also to enable the restarting of fouled plugs.

  15. The effect of frequency on atmospheric pressure glow discharge in a pin-to-plate gap sustained by a resonant power supply

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

    Wang, Yong Sheng; Ding, Wei Dong; Wang, Ya Nan

    More and more researchers have been attracted to the research of atmospheric pressure glow discharge (APGD) because of its great prospect in numerous industrial applications. Nevertheless, almost all of the industrial applications are based on achievement of stable, large-volume, and uniform APGD. In a previous study, stable filamentary APGD was obtained by applying a resonant power supply between pin-to-plate electrodes which could limit the peak value of discharge current to supress the glow-to-arc transition through a series-wound resonance principle. The filamentary APGD is centimeter-level in the length but only several millimeters in diameter. Therefore, in order to obtain large-volume andmore » uniform APGD, it is significant to study how to diffuse filamentary APGD in radial direction. With the increasing resonant frequency of alternating current discharge, excited particles (mainly including energetic electrons and trapped ions left from the previous half-cycle discharge) in the electrodes gap increase, which benefits obtaining stable self-sustaining APGD. In this paper, mechanism and law of the influence of resonant frequency on the diffusion of filamentary APGD in ambient air were studied. By comparing the photos of discharge plasma and waveforms of the discharge voltage and current, it is found that the volume of the glow discharge plasma enlarges as the resonant frequency of the power supply increases. It is very significant and anticipating to study how to obtain stable, large-volume, and uniform APGD in ambient air by the resonant power supply.« less

  16. FINAL REPORT ON GDE GAP CELL

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

    Herman, D.; Summers, W.; Danko, E.

    2009-09-28

    A project has been undertaken to develop an electrochemical cell and support equipment for evaluation of a gas diffusion electrode-based, narrow-electrolyte-gap anode for SO{sub 2} oxidation in the hydrogen production cycle of the hybrid sulfur (HyS) process. The project supported the HyS development program at the Savannah River National Lab (SRNL). The benefits of using a gas diffusion electrode in conjunction with the narrow anolyte gap are being determined through electrochemical polarization testing under a variety conditions, and by comparison to results produced by SRNL and others using anode technologies that have no anolyte gap. These test results indicate thatmore » the NGA cell has low resistance suitable for use in the HyS electrolyzer, exhibits good efficiency at high current densities compared to the direct feed HyS electrolyzer, and indicates robust performance in extended testing over 65 hours. Seepage episodes were mostly caused by port clogging, which can be mitigated in future designs through minor modifications to the hardware. Significant reductions in sulfur crossover have not yet been demonstrated in the NGA configuration compared to in-house direct feed testing, but corroborative sulfur layer analysis is as yet incomplete. Further testing in a single-pass anolyte configuration is recommended for complete evaluation of steady-state electrochemical efficiency and SO{sub 2} crossover in the narrow gap configuration.« less

  17. Isolation and Biochemical Fingerprinting of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium From Meat, Chicken and Cheese.

    PubMed

    Talebi, Malihe; Sadeghi, Javad; Rahimi, Fateh; Pourshafie, Mohammad Reza

    2015-04-01

    Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are important nosocomial pathogens and food chain has been considered as an assumed source for dissemination of VRE to human. The presence of VRE isolates from food samples and typing of these isolates with Phene plate, a biochemical fingerprinting method, were investigated. Thirty samples of meat, chicken and cheese were analyzed for VRE during 2010. Antibiotic susceptibility tests and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were also examined. VRE isolates were typed with the Phene plate system (PhPlate), a biochemical fingerprinting method. A total of 70 VRE isolates were obtained and identified as Enterococcus faecium by species-specific PCR. All the isolates carried vanA, while none of them harbored vanB. The VRE isolates included 35, 27, and 8 isolates from meat, chicken and cheese, respectively. Typing with the PhPlate revealed a diversity index of 0.78 for E. faecium, containing 10 common and four single types. The results of antibiotic susceptibility and MIC tests showed an increased resistance to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, ampicillin and gentamicin, to which, 100%, 100%, 100%, and 95% of VRE isolates were resistant, respectively. Only 5% of the isolates were resistant to chloramphenicol and the MIC of the isolates for vancomycin and teicoplanin was ≥ 256 µg/mL and for gentamicin-resistant isolates it was 1024 µg/mL. Conventional and molecular identification tests exhibited that all the isolates were E. faecium carrying vanA. None of the isolates harbored vanB. The results showed that enterococci are common contaminants in food. Indeed, this study indicates a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant enterococci in food of animal origin in Iran. Isolating some persisting enterococcal isolates revealed that continuous surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in enterococci from food is essential.

  18. Biomechanical comparison of straight DCP and helical plates for fixation of transverse and oblique bone fractures.

    PubMed

    Aksakal, Bunyamin; Gurger, Murat; Say, Yakup; Yilmaz, Erhan

    2014-01-01

    Biomechanical comparison of straight DCP and helical plates for fixation of transversal and oblique tibial bone fractures were analyzed and compared to each other by axial compression, bending and torsion tests. An in vitro osteosynthesis of transverse (TF) and oblique bone fracture (OF) fixations have been analysed on fresh sheep tibias by using the DCP and helical compression plates (HP). Statistically significant differences were found for both DCP and helical plate fixations under axial compression, bending and torsional loads. The strength of fixation systems was in favor of DC plating with exception of the TF-HP fixation group under compression loads and torsional moments. The transvers fracture (TF) stability was found to be higher than that found in oblique fracture (OF) fixed by helical plates (HP). However, under torsional testing, compared to conventional plating, the helical plate fixations provided a higher torsional resistance and strength. The maximum stiffness at axial compression loading and maximum torsional strength was achieved in torsional testing for the TF-HP fixations. From in vitro biomechanical analysis, fracture type and plate fixation system groups showed different responses under different loadings. Consequently, current biomechanical analyses may encourage the usage of helical HP fixations in near future during clinical practice for transverse bone fractures.

  19. Assessment of Mycosphaerella graminicola resistance to azoxystrobin.

    PubMed

    Siah, A; Deweer, C; Morand, E; Reignault, Ph; Halama, P

    2008-01-01

    Azoxystrobin resistance levels of twenty two strains sampled from ten French locations and two reference isolates (IPO323 and IPO94269) of the wheat pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola were investigated in vitro. French strains assayed were selected from twenty two genetic groups determined from three hundred sixty three strains previously characterised using microsatellites, actine and beta-tubuline markers. For the first time, the evaluation was carried out using four distinct methods: spotting on PDA medium, spore germination on PDA medium and using microtitre plates with and without Alamar blue, a growth indicator. From dose-response curve, half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was determined for each strain. The results obtained using microtitre plates with the addition of Alamar blue displayed high standard deviations from the growth averages observed. Therefore, we suggest that this method is inadequate to assess M. graminicolo resistance to fungicides. However, a good correlation was observed between the rankings of strains according to their IC50 values with the three other methods used. The two reference isolates, as expected, were inhibited by low azoxystrobin concentrations. On the other hand, the IC50 values obtained showed presence of a threshold between sensitive and resistant strains that corroborates the disruptive resistance of M. graminicola against strobilurin fungicides. In addition, the strains showing resistance were those sampled mainly from northern France, where a high frequency of strobilurin resistant isolates among M. graminicola populations was reported by several studies.

  20. Surface modification by carbon ion implantation for the application of ni-based amorphous alloys as bipolar plate in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Min-Uk; Kim, Do-Hyang; Han, Seung-hee; Fleury, Eric; Seok, Hyun-Kwang; Cha, Pil-Ryung; Kim, Yu-Chan

    2011-04-01

    Ni-based amorphous alloys with surface modification by carbon ion implantation are proposed as an alternative bipolar plate material for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Both Ni60Nb20Ti10Zr10 alloys with and without carbon ion implantation have corrosion resistance as good as graphite as well as much lower contact resistance than 316L stainless steel in the PEMFC environment. The formation of conductive surface carbide due to carbon ion implantation results in a decrease in the contact resistance to a level comparable to that of graphite. This combination of excellent properties indicates that carbon ion implanted Ni-based amorphous alloys can be potential candidate materials for bipolar plates in PEMFCs.

  1. Geometry of the Cocos Plate Under North American Plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Perez-Campos, X.

    2015-12-01

    The Cocos plate subducts under the North American plate with a complex geometry, and previous seismicity studies revealed some of this complexity. However, details of the geometry and the depth that the plate penetrates werelargely unknown. Since 2004, temporary experiments and the expansion of the permanent network of the Servicio Sismológico Nacional (SSN, Mexican National Seismological Service) have improved resolution of the plate geometry and have helped to map its descent into the upper mantle. Going from northwest to southeast, the Cocos plate appears to be fragmenting into north and south segments. The north segment subducts with an angle of ~30º and the south with an angle of ~10-15º. The transition is smooth near the trench and progresses to a tear at depth; this coincides with the projection of the Orozco Fracture Zone to depth. Also, this transition marks the limit of the presence to the south of an ultra slow velocity layer (USL) on top of the slab.South of this transition, the Cocos plate subducts horizontally , underplating the North American plate for a distance of ~140 to ~300 km from the trench. Along this horizontal region, silent slow events (SSE) and tectonic tremor (TT) have been observed. At a distance of 300 km from the trench (beneath central Mexico), the plate dives into the mantle with an angle of 76º to a depth of 500 km. This geometry changes abruptly to the south, marking the eastern limit of the USL. This change seems to be also characterized by a tear on the slab. Finally to the south, the Cocos plate subducts with a constant angle of 26º. This presentation summarizes the work of many contributors including A. Arciniega-Ceballos, M. Brudzinski, E. Cabral-Cano, T. Chen, R. Clayton,F. Cordoba-Montiel,P. Davis,S. Dougherty,F. Green, M. Gurnis, D. V. Helmberger, A. Husker,A. Iglesias, Y. Kim, V. Manea, D. Melgar, M. Rodríguez-Domínguez,S. K. Singh, T.-R. A. Song, C. M. Valdés-González, D. Valencia-Cabrera

  2. Sub-Plate Overlap Code Documentation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Taff, L. G.; Bucciarelli, B.; Zarate, N.

    1997-01-01

    An expansion of the plate overlap method of astrometric data reduction to a single plate has been proposed and successfully tested. Each plate is (artificially) divided into sub-plates which can then be overlapped. This reduces the area of a 'plate' over which a plate model needs to accurately represent the relationship between measured coordinates and standard coordinates. Application is made to non-astrographic plates such as Schmidt plates and to wide-field astrographic plates. Indeed, the method is completely general and can be applied to any type of recording media.

  3. High-Temperature Insulating Gap Filler

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Toombs, Gordon R.; Oyoung, Kevin K.; Stevens, Everett G.

    1991-01-01

    New inorganic, ceramic filler for gaps between refractory ceramic tiles offers high resistance to heat and erosion. Consists of ceramic-fiber fabric precoated with silica and further coated with silica containing small amount of silicon carbide powder to increase thermal emittance. Developed as replacement for organic filler used on thermal-protection system of Space Shuttle. Promises to serve for many missions and to reduce cost and delay of refurbishing aerospace craft. Used as sealing material in furnaces or as heat shield for sensitive components in automobiles, aircraft, and home appliances.

  4. Effect of Plate Curvature on Blast Response of Structural Steel Plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Veeredhi, Lakshmi Shireen Banu; Ramana Rao, N. V.; Veeredhi, Vasudeva Rao

    2018-04-01

    In the present work an attempt is made, through simulation studies, to determine the effect of plate curvature on the blast response of a door structure made of ASTM A515 grade 50 steel plates. A door structure with dimensions of 5.142 m × 2.56 m × 10 mm having six different radii of curvatures is analyzed which is subjected to blast load. The radii of curvature investigated are infinity (flat plate), 16.63, 10.81, 8.26, 6.61 and 5.56 m. In the present study, a stand-off distance of 11 m is considered for all the cases. Results showed that the door structure with smallest radius of curvature experienced least plastic deformation and yielding when compared to a door with larger radius of curvature with same projected area. From the present Investigation, it is observed that, as the radius of curvature of the plate increases, the deformation mode gradually shifts from indentation mode to flexural mode. The plates with infinity and 16.63 m radius of curvature have undergone flexural mode of deformation and plates with 6.61 and 5.56 m radius of curvature undergo indentation mode of deformation. Whereas, mixed mode of deformation that consists of both flexural and indentation mode of deformations are seen in the plates with radius of curvature 10.81 and 8.26 m. As the radius of curvature of the plate decreases the ability of the plate to mitigate the effect the blast loads increased. It is observed that the plate with smaller radius of curvature deflects most of the blast energy and results in least indentation mode of deformation. The most significant observation made in the present investigation is that the strain energy absorbed by the steel plate gets reduced to 1/3 rd when the radius of curvature is approximately equal to the stand-off distance which could be the critical radius of curvature.

  5. Effects of electrode gap and electric current on chlorine generation of electrolyzed deep ocean water.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Guoo-Shyng Wang; Hsu, Shun-Yao

    2018-04-01

    Electrolyzed water is a sustainable disinfectant, which can comply with food safety regulations and is environmental friendly. A two-factor central composite design was adopted for studying the effects of electrode gap and electric current on chlorine generation efficiency of electrolyzed deep ocean water. Deep ocean water was electrolyzed in a glass electrolyzing cell equipped with platinum-plated titanium anode and cathode in a constant-current operation mode. Results showed that current density, chlorine concentration, and electrolyte temperature increased with electric current, while electric efficiency decreased with electric current and electrode gap. An electrode gap of less than 11.7 mm, and a low electric current appeared to be a more energy efficient design and operation condition for the electrolysis system. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. CALUTRON FACE PLATE

    DOEpatents

    Brobeck, W.M.

    1959-08-25

    The construction of a removable cover plate for a calutron tank is described. The plate is fabricated of a rectangular frame member to which is welded a bowed or dished plate of thin steel, reinforced with transverse stiffening ribs. When the tank is placed between the poles of a magnet, the plate may be pivoted away from the tank and magnet and is adapted to support the ion separation mechanism secured to its inner side as well as the vacuum load within the tank.

  7. Mechanically robust silver coatings prepared by electroless plating on thermoplastic polyurethane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vasconcelos, B.; Vediappan, K.; Oliveira, J. C.; Fonseca, C.

    2018-06-01

    A simple and low-cost surface functionalization method is proposed to activate a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) for the electroless deposition of a silver coating with excellent adhesion and low resistivity. The TPU surface functionalization was performed in solution and consisted in forming a physical interpenetrating network at the TPU surface, involving TPU and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), a polymer displaying a strong affinity for metals. The presence of PVP on the TPU surface and its stability in aqueous solution were assessed by ATR-FTIR and contact angle measurements as a function of the PVP concentration and treatment time. A modified Tollens solution was used to grow a silver film on the TPU substrate, by using the electroless plating method. Compact silver films with an average thickness of 12.5 μm and a resistivity of 8.57 mΩ·cm were obtained for a 24 h plating time. The adhesion strength of the silver film proved to be higher than 8.5 N/cm. The resistance to fatigue of the silver films was studied by performing series of compression/stretching tests (150 cycles). It was concluded that the films kept low resistance values, although displaying a higher sensitivity to compression than to stretching. Furthermore, the films keep a good conductivity for strains up to 400%. The excellent electrical and mechanical properties of the films make them suitable candidates for the coating of multipin dry bioelectrodes. Owing to the high affinity of many metals for PVP, this activation technique has the potential to be extended to the deposition of other metals and other polymers as well, provided a suitable solvent is used.

  8. Plate convergence at the westernmost Philippine Sea Plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Wen-Nan; Hsu, Shu-Kun; Lo, Chung-Liang; Chen, How-Wei; Ma, Kuo-Fong

    2009-03-01

    To understand the convergent characteristics of the westernmost plate boundary between the Philippine Sea Plate (PSP) and Eurasian Plate (EP), we have calculated the stress states of plate motion by focal mechanisms. Cataloged by the Harvard centroid moment tensor solutions (Harvard CMT) and the Broadband Array in Taiwan (BATS) moment tensor, 251 focal mechanisms are used to determine the azimuths of the principal stress axes. We first used all the data to derive the mean stress tensor of the study area. The inversion result shows that the stress regime has a maximum compression along the direction of azimuth N299°. This result is consistent with the general direction of the rigid plate motion between the PSP and EP in the study area. In order to understand the spatial variation of the regional stress pattern, we divided the study area into six sub-areas (blocks A to F) based on the feature of the free-air gravity anomaly. We compare the compressive directions obtained from the stress inversion with the plate motions calculated by the Euler pole and the Global Positioning System (GPS) analysis. As a result, the azimuth of the maximum stress axis, σ1, generally agrees with the directions of the theoretical plate motion and GPS velocity vectors except block C (Lanhsu region) and block F (Ilan plain region). The discrepancy of convergent direction near the Ilan plain region is probably caused by the rifting of the Okinawa Trough. The deviation of the σ1 azimuth in the Lanhsu region could be attributed to a southwestward extrusion of the Luzon Arc (LA) block between 21°N and 22°N whose northern boundary may be associated with the right-lateral NE-SW trending fault (i.e. Huatung Fault, HF) along the Taitung Canyon. Comparing the σ1 stress patterns between block C and block D, great strain energy along HF may not be completely released yet. Alternatively, the upper crust of block C may significantly have decoupled from its lower crust or uppermost mantle.

  9. Dual small fragment plating improves screw-to-screw load sharing for mid-diaphyseal humeral fracture fixation: a finite element study.

    PubMed

    Kosmopoulos, Victor; Luedke, Colten; Nana, Arvind D

    2015-01-01

    A smaller humerus in some patients makes the use of a large fragment fixation plate difficult. Dual small fragment plate constructs have been suggested as an alternative. This study compares the biomechanical performance of three single and one dual plate construct for mid-diaphyseal humeral fracture fixation. Five humeral shaft finite element models (1 intact and 4 fixation) were loaded in torsion, compression, posterior-anterior (PA) bending, and lateral-medial (LM) bending. A comminuted fracture was simulated by a 1-cm gap. Fracture fixation was modelled by: (A) 4.5-mm 9-hole large fragment plate (wide), (B) 4.5-mm 9-hole large fragment plate (narrow), (C) 3.5-mm 9-hole small fragment plate, and (D) one 3.5-mm 9-hole small fragment plate and one 3.5-mm 7-hole small fragment plate. Model A showed the best outcomes in torsion and PA bending, whereas Model D outperformed the others in compression and LM bending. Stress concentrations were located near and around the unused screw holes for each of the single plate models and at the neck of the screws just below the plates for all the models studied. Other than in PA bending, Model D showed the best overall screw-to-screw load sharing characteristics. The results support using a dual small fragment locking plate construct as an alternative in cases where crutch weight-bearing (compression) tolerance may be important and where anatomy limits the size of the humerus bone segment available for large fragment plate fixation.

  10. Industrial Test of High Strength Steel Plates Free Boron Q890D Used for Engineering Machinery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dong, Ruifeng; Liu, Zetian; Gao, Jun

    The chemistry composition, process parameters and the test results of Q890D free boron high strength steel plate used for engineering machinery was studied. The 16 40 mm thickness steel plates with good mechanical properties that was yield strength of 930 970 MPa, tensile strength of 978 1017 MPa, elongation of 13.5 15%, the average impact energy value of more than 100 J were developed by improving steel purity, adopting the reasonable controlled rolling and cooling process, using reasonable off-line quenching and tempering process. The test plates have good crack resistance in 60 °C preheat temperature condition because of that there are no any cracks in the surfaces, cross-section and roots of welding joints.

  11. Discharge dynamics of pin-to-plate dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure

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

    Sun Liqun; Huang, Xiaojiang; Member of Magnetic Confinement Fusion Research Center, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Shanghai 201620

    2010-11-15

    The discharge dynamics of pin-to-plate dielectric barrier discharge was studied in atmospheric helium at 20 kHz. The discharge was predominately ignited in positive half cycle of applied voltage with sinusoidal waveform. The temporal evolution of the discharge was investigated vertically along the discharge gap and radically on the dielectric surface by time resolved imaging. It is found that a discharge column with a diameter of 2 mm was ignited above the pin electrode and expanded toward a plate electrode. On the dielectric surface with space charge accumulation, plasma disk in terms of plasma ring was formed with radius up tomore » 25 mm. The expansion velocity of plasma ring can reach a hypersonic speed of 3.0 km/s. The ionization wave due to electron diffusion is considered to be the mechanism for plasma ring formation and dynamics.« less

  12. The Impact of Nitinol Staples on the Compressive Forces, Contact Area, and Mechanical Properties in Comparison to a Claw Plate and Crossed Screws for the First Tarsometatarsal Arthrodesis.

    PubMed

    Aiyer, Amiethab; Russell, Nicholas A; Pelletier, Matthew H; Myerson, Mark; Walsh, William R

    2016-06-01

    Background The optimal fixation method for the first tarsometatarsal arthrodesis remains controversial. This study aimed to develop a reproducible first tarsometatarsal testing model to evaluate the biomechanical performance of different reconstruction techniques. Methods Crossed screws or a claw plate were compared with a single or double shape memory alloy staple configuration in 20 Sawbones models. Constructs were mechanically tested in 4-point bending to 1, 2, and 3 mm of plantar displacement. The joint contact force and area were measured at time zero, and following 1 and 2 mm of bending. Peak load, stiffness, and plantar gapping were determined. Results Both staple configurations induced a significantly greater contact force and area across the arthrodesis than the crossed screw and claw plate constructs at all measurements. The staple constructs completely recovered their plantar gapping following each test. The claw plate generated the least contact force and area at the joint interface and had significantly greater plantar gapping than all other constructs. The crossed screw constructs were significantly stiffer and had significantly less plantar gapping than the other constructs, but this gapping was not recoverable. Conclusions Crossed screw fixation provides a rigid arthrodesis with limited compression and contact footprint across the joint. Shape memory alloy staples afford dynamic fixation with sustained compression across the arthrodesis. A rigid polyurethane foam model provides an anatomically relevant comparison for evaluating the interface between different fixation techniques. Clinical Relevance The dynamic nature of shape memory alloy staples offers the potential to permit early weight bearing and could be a useful adjunctive device to impart compression across an arthrodesis of the first tarsometatarsal joint. Therapeutic, Level V: Bench testing. © 2015 The Author(s).

  13. Electromechanical resistive switching via back-to-back Schottky junctions

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

    Li, Lijie, E-mail: L.Li@swansea.ac.uk

    The physics of the electromechanical resistive switching is uncovered using the theory of back-to-back Schottky junctions combined with the quantum domain space charge transport. A theoretical model of the basic element of resistive switching devices realized by the metal-ZnO nanowires-metal structure has been created and analyzed. Simulation results show that the reverse biased Schottky junction and the air gap impedance dominate the current-voltage relation at higher external voltages; thereby electromechanically varying the air gap thickness causes the device exhibit resistive tuning characteristics. As the device dimension is in nanometre scale, investigation of the model based on quantum mechanics has alsomore » been conducted.« less

  14. Multicolor printing plate joining

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Waters, W. J. (Inventor)

    1984-01-01

    An upper plate having ink flow channels and a lower plate having a multicolored pattern are joined. The joining is accomplished without clogging any ink flow paths. A pattern having different colored parts and apertures is formed in a lower plate. Ink flow channels each having respective ink input ports are formed in an upper plate. The ink flow channels are coated with solder mask and the bottom of the upper plate is then coated with solder. The upper and lower plates are pressed together at from 2 to 5 psi and heated to a temperature of from 295 F to 750 F or enough to melt the solder. After the plates have cooled and the pressure is released, the solder mask is removed from the interior passageways by means of a liquid solvent.

  15. Universal interaction-driven gap in metallic carbon nanotubes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Senger, Mitchell J.; McCulley, Daniel R.; Lotfizadeh, Neda; Deshpande, Vikram V.; Minot, Ethan D.

    2018-02-01

    Suspended metallic carbon nanotubes (m-CNTs) exhibit a remarkably large transport gap that can exceed 100 meV. Both experiment and theory suggest that strong electron-electron interactions play a crucial role in generating this electronic structure. To further understand this strongly interacting system, we have performed electronic measurements of suspended m-CNTs with known diameter and chiral angle. Spectrally resolved photocurrent microscopy was used to determine m-CNT structure. The room-temperature electrical characteristics of 18 individually contacted m-CNTs were compared to their respective diameter and chiral angle. At the charge neutrality point, we observe a peak in m-CNT resistance that scales exponentially with inverse diameter. Using a thermally activated transport model, we estimate that the transport gap is (450 meV nm)/D , where D is CNT diameter. We find no correlation between the gap and the CNT chiral angle. Our results add important constraints to theories attempting to describe the electronic structure of m-CNTs.

  16. Primary stability of different plate positions and the role of bone substitute in open wedge high tibial osteotomy.

    PubMed

    Takeuchi, Ryohei; Woon-Hwa, Jung; Ishikawa, Hiroyuki; Yamaguchi, Yuichiro; Osawa, Katsunari; Akamatsu, Yasushi; Kuroda, Koichi

    2017-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare the mechanical fixation strengths of anteromedial and medial plate positions in osteotomy, and clarify the effects of bone substitute placement into the osteotomy site. Twenty-eight sawbone tibia models were used. Four different models were prepared: Group A, the osteotomy site was open and the plate position was anteromedial; Group B, bone substitutes were inserted into the osteotomy site and the plate position was anteromedial; Group C, the osteotomy site was open and the plate position was medial; and Group D, bone substitutes were inserted into the osteotomy site and the plate position was medial. The loading condition ranged from 0 to 800N and one hertz cycles were applied. Changes of the tibial posterior slope angle (TPS), stress on the plate and lateral hinge were measured. The changes in the TPS and the stress on the plate were significantly larger in Group A than in Group C. These were significantly larger in Group A than in Group B, and in Group C than in Group D. There was no significant difference between Group B and Group D, and no significant difference between knee flexion angles of 0° and 10°. Stress on the lateral hinge was significantly smaller when bone substitute was used. A medial plate position was biomechanically superior to an anteromedial position if bone substitute was not used. Bone substitute distributed the stress concentration around the osteotomy gap and prevented an increase in TPS angle regardless of the plate position. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Planar techniques for fabricating X-ray diffraction gratings and zone plates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smith, H. I.; Anderson, E. H.; Hawryluk, A. M.; Schattenburg, M. L.

    1984-01-01

    The state of current planar techniques in the fabrication of Fresnel zone plates and diffraction gratings is reviewed. Among the fabrication techniques described are multilayer resist techniques; scanning electron beam lithography; and holographic lithography. Consideration is also given to: X-ray lithography; ion beam lithography; and electroplating. SEM photographs of the undercut profiles obtained in a type AZ 135OB photoresistor by holographic lithography are provided.

  18. Energy transfer between two vacuum-gapped metal plates: Coulomb fluctuations and electron tunneling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Zu-Quan; Lü, Jing-Tao; Wang, Jian-Sheng

    2018-05-01

    Recent experimental measurements for near-field radiative heat transfer between two bodies have been able to approach the gap distance within 2 nm , where the contributions of Coulomb fluctuation and electron tunneling are comparable. Using the nonequilibrium Green's function method in the G0W0 approximation, based on a tight-binding model, we obtain for the energy current a Caroli formula from the Meir-Wingreen formula in the local equilibrium approximation. Also, the Caroli formula is consistent with the evanescent part of the heat transfer from the theory of fluctuational electrodynamics. We go beyond the local equilibrium approximation to study the energy transfer in the crossover region from electron tunneling to Coulomb fluctuation based on a numerical calculation.

  19. Biomechanical comparison of anterior cervical plating and combined anterior/lateral mass plating.

    PubMed

    Adams, M S; Crawford, N R; Chamberlain, R H; Bse; Sonntag, V K; Dickman, C A

    2001-01-01

    Previous studies showed anterior plates of older design to be inadequate for stabilizing the cervical spine in all loading directions. No studies have investigated enhancement in stability obtained by combining anterior and posterior plates. To determine which modes of loading are stabilized by anterior plating after a cervical burst fracture and to determine whether adding posterior plating further significantly stabilizes the construct. A repeated-measures in vitro biomechanical flexibility experiment was performed to investigate how surgical destabilization and subsequent addition of hardware components alter spinal stability. Six human cadaveric specimens were studied. Angular range of motion (ROM) and neutral zone (NZ) were quantified during flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation. Nonconstraining, nondestructive torques were applied while recording three-dimensional motion optoelectronically. Specimens were tested intact, destabilized by simulated burst fracture with posterior distraction, plated anteriorly with a unicortical locking system, and plated with a combined anterior/posterior construct. The anterior plate significantly (p<.05) reduced the ROM relative to normal in all modes of loading and significantly reduced the NZ in flexion and extension. Addition of the posterior plates further significantly reduced the ROM in all modes of loading and reduced the NZ in lateral bending. Anterior plating systems are capable of substantially stabilizing the cervical spine in all modes of loading after a burst fracture. The combined approach adds significant stability over anterior plating alone in treating this injury but may be unnecessary clinically. Further study is needed to assess the added clinical benefits of the combined approach and associated risks.

  20. Influence of Material Distribution on Impact Resistance of Hybrid Composites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Abatan, Ayu; Hu, Hurang

    1998-01-01

    Impact events occur in a wide variety of circumstances. A typical example is a bullet impacting a target made of composite material. These impact events produce time-varying loads on a structure that can result in damage. As a first step to understanding the damage resistance issue in composite laminates, an accurate prediction of the transient response during an impact event is necessary. The analysis of dynamic loadings on laminated composite plates has undergone considerable development recently. Rayleigh-Ritz energy method was used to determine the impact response of laminated plates. The impact response of composite plates using shear deformation plate theory was analyzed. In recent work a closed-form solution was obtained for a rectangular plate with four edges simply supported subjected to a center impact load using classical plate theory. The problem was further investigated and the analysis results compared of both classical plate theory and shear deformation theory, and found that classical plate theory predicts very accurate results for the range of small deformations considered. In this study, the influence of cross sectional material distribution on the comparative impact responses of hybrid metal laminates subjected to low and medium velocity impacts is investigated. A simple linear model to evaluate the magnitude of the impact load is proposed first, and it establishes a relation between the impact velocity and the impact force. Then a closed-form solution for impact problem is presented. The results were compared with the finite element analysis results. For an 11 layer-hybrid laminate, the impact response as a function of material distribution in cross-section is presented. With equal areal weight, the effect of the number of laminate layers on the impact resistance is also investigated. Finally, the significance of the presented results is discussed.

  1. The effect of plate-scale rheology and plate interactions on intraplate seismicity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    So, Byung-Dal; Capitanio, Fabio A.

    2017-11-01

    We use finite element modeling to investigate on the stress loading-unloading cycles and earthquakes occurrence in the plate interiors, resulting from the interactions of tectonic plates along their boundary. We model a visco-elasto-plastic plate embedding a single or multiple faults, while the tectonic stress is applied along the plate boundary by an external loading visco-elastic plate, reproducing the tectonic setting of two interacting lithospheres. Because the two plates deform viscously, the timescale of stress accumulation and release on the faults is self-consistently determined, from the boundary to the interiors, and seismic recurrence is an emerging feature. This approach overcomes the constraints on recurrence period imposed by stress (stress-drop) and velocity boundary conditions, while here it is unconstrained. We illustrate emerging macroscopic characteristics of this system, showing that the seismic recurrence period τ becomes shorter as Γ and Θ decreases, where Γ =ηI /ηL, the viscosity ratio of the viscosities of the internal fault-embedded to external loading plates, respectively, and Θ =σY /σL the stress ratio of the elastic limit of the fault to far-field loading stress. When the system embeds multiple, randomly distributed faults, stress transfer results in recurrence period deviations, however the time-averaged recurrence period of each fault show the same dependence on Γ and Θ, illustrating a characteristic collective behavior. The control of these parameters prevails even when initial pre-stress was randomly assigned in terms of the spatial arrangement and orientation on the internal plate, mimicking local fluctuations. Our study shows the relevance of macroscopic rheological properties of tectonic plates on the earthquake occurrence in plate interiors, as opposed to local factors, proposing a viable model for the seismic behavior of continent interiors in the context of large-scale, long-term deformation of interacting tectonic

  2. Sputtering and ion plating

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1972-01-01

    The proceedings of a conference on sputtering and ion plating are presented. Subjects discussed are: (1) concepts and applications of ion plating, (2) sputtering for deposition of solid film lubricants, (3) commercial ion plating equipment, (4) industrial potential for ion plating and sputtering, and (5) fundamentals of RF and DC sputtering.

  3. Evaluating MyPlate: an expanded framework using traditional and nontraditional metrics for assessing health communication campaigns.

    PubMed

    Levine, Elyse; Abbatangelo-Gray, Jodie; Mobley, Amy R; McLaughlin, Grant R; Herzog, Jill

    2012-01-01

    MyPlate, the icon and multimodal communication plan developed for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), provides an opportunity to consider new approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of communication initiatives. A review of indicators used in assessments for previous DGA communication initiatives finds gaps in accounting for important intermediate and long-term outcomes. This evaluation framework for the MyPlate Communications Initiative builds on well-known and underused models and theories to propose a wide breadth of observations, outputs, and outcomes that can contribute to a fuller assessment of effectiveness. Two areas are suggested to focus evaluation efforts in order to advance understanding of the effectiveness of the MyPlate Communications Initiative: understanding the extent to which messages and products from the initiative are associated with positive changes in social norms toward the desired behaviors, and strategies to increase the effectiveness of communications about DGA in vulnerable populations. Copyright © 2012 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Open Screw Placement in a 1.5 mm LCP Over a Fracture Gap Decreases Fatigue Life

    PubMed Central

    Alwen, Sarah G. J.; Kapatkin, Amy S.; Garcia, Tanya C.; Milgram, Joshua; Stover, Susan M.

    2018-01-01

    Objective To investigate the influence of plate and screw hole position on the stability of simulated radial fractures stabilized with a 1.5 mm condylar locking compression plate (LCP). Study Design In vitro mechanical testing of paired cadaveric limbs. Sample Population Paired radii (n = 7) stabilized with a 1.5 mm condylar LCP with an open screw hole positioned either proximal to (PG), or over (OG), a simulated small fracture gap. Methods Constructs were cycled in axial compression at a simulated trot load until failure or a maximum of 200,000 cycles. Specimens that sustained 200,000 cycles without failure were then loaded in axial compression in a single cycle to failure. Construct cyclic axial stiffness and gap strain, fatigue life, and residual strength were evaluated and compared between constructs using analysis of variance. Results Of pairs that had a failure during cyclic loading, OG constructs survived fewer cycles (54,700 ± 60,600) than PG (116,800 ± 49,300). OG constructs had significantly lower initial stiffness throughout cyclic loading and higher gap strain range within the first 1,000 cycles than PG constructs. Residual strength variables were not significantly different between constructs, however yield loads occurred at loads only marginally higher than approximated trot loads. Fatigue life decreased with increasing body weight. Conclusion Fracture fixation stability is compromised by an open screw hole directly over a fracture gap compared to the open screw hole being buttressed by bone in the model studied. The 1.5 mm condylar LCP may be insufficient stabilization in dogs with appropriate radial geometry but high body weights. PMID:29876361

  5. Manufacturing and Performance Assessment of Stamped, Laser Welded, and Nitrided FeCrV Stainless Steel Bipolar Plates for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

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

    Brady, Michael P; Abdelhamid, Mahmoud; Dadheech, G

    A manufacturing and single-cell fuel cell performance study of stamped, laser welded, and gas nitrided ferritic stainless steel foils in an advanced automotive bipolar plate assembly design was performed. Two developmental foil compositions were studied: Fee20Cre4V and Fee23Cre4V wt.%. Foils 0.1 mm thick were stamped and then laser welded together to create single bipolar plate assemblies with cooling channels. The plates were then surface treated by pre-oxidation and nitridation in N2e4H2 based gas mixtures using either a conventional furnace or a short-cycle quartz lamp infrared heating system. Single-cell fuel cell testing was performed at 80 C for 500 h atmore » 0.3 A/cm2 using 100% humidification and a 100%/40% humidification cycle that stresses the membrane and enhances release of the fluoride ion and promotes a more corrosive environment for the bipolar plates. Periodic high frequency resistance potential-current scans during the 500 h fuel cell test and posttest analysis of the membrane indicated no resistance increase of the plates and only trace levels of metal ion contamination.« less

  6. Scientific and Technological Principles of Development of New Cold-Resistant Arc-Steels (Steels for Arctic Applications)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sych, O. V.; Khlusova, E. I.; Yashin, E. A.

    2017-12-01

    The paper presents the results of quantitative analysis of C, Mn, Ni and Cu content on strength and cold-resistance of rolled plates. Relations between the ferritic-bainitic structure morphology and anisotropy and steel performance characteristics have been established. Influence of thermal and deformation rolling patterns on steel structure has been studied. The steel chemical composition has been improved and precision thermomechanical processing conditions for production of cold-resistant Arc-steel plates have been developed.

  7. Oversized 250 GHz Traveling Wave Tube with a Photonic Band-Gap Structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosenzweig, Guy; Shapiro, Michael A.; Temkin, Richard J.

    2017-10-01

    The challenge in manufacturing traveling wave tubes (TWTs) at high frequencies is that the sizes of the structures scale with, and are much smaller than, the wavelength. We have designed and are building a 250 GHz TWT that uses an oversized structure to overcome fabrication and power handling issues that result from the small dimensions. Using a photonic band-gap (PBG) structure, we succeeded to design the TWT with a beam tunnel diameter of 0.72 mm. The circuit consists of metal plates with the beam tunnel drilled down their center. Twelve posts are protruding on one side of each plate in a triangular array and corresponding sockets are drilled on the other side. The posts of each plate are inserted into the sockets of an adjacent plate, forming a PBG lattice. The vacuum spacing between adjacent plates forms the `PBG cavity''. The full structure is a series of PBG coupled cavities, with microwave power coupling through the beam tunnel. The PBG lattice provides confinement of microwave power in each of the cavities and can be tuned to give the right amount of diffraction per cavity so that no sever is needed to suppress oscillations in the operating mode. CST PIC simulations predict over 38 dB gain with 67 W peak power, using a 30 kV, 310 mA electron beam, 0.6 mm in diameter. Research supported by the AFOSR Program on Plasma and Electro-Energetic Physics and by the NIH National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.

  8. Divertor-leg instability for finite beta and radially-tilted divertor plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cohen, R. H.; Ryutov, D. D.

    2004-11-01

    Plasma in the divertor leg may experience a fast instability caused by sheath boundary conditions (BC). Perturbations cannot penetrate beyond the X point because of very strong shearing in its vicinity. Accordingly, this instability could increase cross-field transport in the divertor leg, and thereby reduce the heat load on the divertor plate, without having any appreciable negative effect on core plasma confinement. A way of describing the role of shearing in terms of the surface resistivity attributed to a ``control plane'' below the X point has recently been suggested (Contr. Plasma Phys., v. 44, p. 168, 2004). We use this BC, plus sheath BC at the divertor plate. We include effects of finite beta and of the radial tilt of the divertor plate. We optimize the radial tilt in order to maximize radial transport in divertor legs. We discuss experimental signatures of the instability: i) phase velocity and wave-numbers of the most unstable modes; ii) correlations between fluctuations of various parameters; and iii) the differences between fluctuations in the common and private flux regions.

  9. A Constant-Force Resistive Exercise Unit

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Colosky, Paul; Ruttley, Tara

    2010-01-01

    A constant-force resistive exercise unit (CFREU) has been invented for use in both normal gravitational and microgravitational environments. In comparison with a typical conventional exercise machine, this CFREU weighs less and is less bulky: Whereas weight plates and associated bulky supporting structures are used to generate resistive forces in typical conventional exercise machines, they are not used in this CFREU. Instead, resistive forces are generated in this CFREU by relatively compact, lightweight mechanisms based on constant-torque springs wound on drums. Each such mechanism is contained in a module, denoted a resistive pack, that includes a shaft for making a torque connection to a cable drum. During a stroke of resistive exercise, the cable is withdrawn from the cable drum against the torque exerted by the resistance pack. The CFREU includes a housing, within which can be mounted one or more resistive pack(s). The CFREU also includes mechanisms for engaging any combination of (1) one or more resistive pack(s) and (2) one or more spring(s) within each resistive pack to obtain a desired level of resistance.

  10. TOPICAL REVIEW: Experimental study of organic zero-gap conductor α-(BEDT-TTF)2I3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tajima, Naoya; Kajita, Koji

    2009-04-01

    A zero-gap state with a Dirac cone type energy dispersion was discovered in the organic conductor α-(BEDT-TTF)2I3 under high hydrostatic pressures. This is the first two-dimensional (2D) zero-gap state discovered in bulk crystals with a layered structure. In contrast to the case of graphene, the Dirac cone in this system is highly anisotropic. The present system, therefore, provides a new type of massless Dirac fermion system with anisotropic Fermi velocity. This system exhibits remarkable transport phenomena characteristic to electrons on the Dirac cone type energy structure. The carrier density, written as n~T2, is a characteristic feature of the 2D zero-gap structure. On the other hand, the resistivity per layer (sheet resistance RS) is given as RS=h/e2 and is independent of temperature. The effect of a magnetic field on samples in the zero-gap system was examined. The difference between zero-gap conductors and conventional conductors is the appearance of a Landau level called the zero mode at the contact points when a magnetic field is applied normal to the conductive layer. Zero-mode Landau carriers give rise to strong negative out-of-plane magnetoresistance.

  11. Reconstructing plate motion paths where plate tectonics doesn't strictly apply

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Handy, M. R.; Ustaszewski, K.

    2012-04-01

    The classical approach to reconstructing plate motion invokes the assumption that plates are rigid and therefore that their motions can be described as Eulerian rotations on a spherical Earth. This essentially two-dimensional, map view of plate motion is generally valid for large-scale systems, but is not practicable for small-scale tectonic systems in which plates, or significant parts thereof, deform on time scales approaching the duration of their motion. Such "unplate-like" (non-rigid) behaviour is common in systems with a weak lithosphere, for example, in Mediterranean-type settings where (micro-)plates undergo distributed deformation several tens to hundreds of km away from their boundaries. The motion vector of such anomalous plates can be quantified by combining and comparing information from two independent sources: (1) Balanced cross sections that are arrayed across deformed zones (orogens, basins) and provide estimates of crustal shortening and/or extension. Plate motion is then derived by retrodeforming the balanced sections in a stepwise fashion from external to internal parts of mountain belts, then applying these estimates as successive retrotranslations of points on stable parts of the upper plate with respect to a chosen reference frame on the lower plate. This approach is contingent on using structural markers with tight age constraints, for example, depth-sensitive metamorphic mineral parageneses and syn-orogenic sediments with known paleogeographic provenance; (2) Geophysical images of 3D subcrustal structure, especially of the MOHO and the lithospheric mantle in the vicinity of the deformed zones. In the latter case, travel-time seismic tomography of velocity anomalies can be used to identify subducted lithospheric slabs that extend downwards from the zones of crustal shortening to the mantle transitional zone and beyond. Synthesizing information from these two sources yields plate motion paths whose validity can be tested by the degree of

  12. A pulsed eddy current probe for inspection of support plates from within Alloy-800 steam generator tubes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krause, T. W.; Babbar, V. K.; Underhill, P. R.

    2014-02-01

    Support plate degradation and fouling in nuclear steam generators (SGs) can lead to SG tube corrosion and loss of efficiency. Inspection and monitoring of these conditions can be integrated with preventive maintenance programs, thereby advancing station-life management processes. A prototype pulsed eddy current (PEC) probe, targeting inspection issues associated with SG tubes in SS410 tube support plate structures, has been developed using commercial finite element (FE) software. FE modeling was used to identify appropriate driver and pickup coil configurations for optimum sensitivity to changes in gap and offset for Alloy-800 SG tubes passing through 25 mm thick SS410 support plates. Experimental measurements using a probe that was manufactured based on the modeled configuration, were used to confirm the sensitivity of differential PEC signals to changes in relative position of the tube within the tube support plate holes. Models investigated the effect of shift and tilt of tube with respect to hole centers. Near hole centers and for small shifts, modeled signal amplitudes from the differentially connected coil pairs were observed to change linearly with tube shift. This was in agreement with experimentally measured TEC coil response. The work paves the way for development of a system targeting the inspection and evaluation of support plate structures in steam generators.

  13. Direct optimization, affine gap costs, and node stability.

    PubMed

    Aagesen, Lone

    2005-09-01

    The outcome of a phylogenetic analysis based on DNA sequence data is highly dependent on the homology-assignment step and may vary with alignment parameter costs. Robustness to changes in parameter costs is therefore a desired quality of a data set because the final conclusions will be less dependent on selecting a precise optimal cost set. Here, node stability is explored in relationship to separate versus combined analysis in three different data sets, all including several data partitions. Robustness to changes in cost sets is measured as number of successive changes that can be made in a given cost set before a specific clade is lost. The changes are in all cases base change cost, gap penalties, and adding/removing/changing affine gap costs. When combining data partitions, the number of clades that appear in the entire parameter space is not remarkably increased, in some cases this number even decreased. However, when combining data partitions the trees from cost sets including affine gap costs were always more similar than the trees were from cost sets without affine gap costs. This was not the case when the data partitions were analyzed independently. When data sets were combined approximately 80% of the clades found under cost sets including affine gap costs resisted at least one change to the cost set.

  14. GOLD PLATING PROCESS

    DOEpatents

    Seegmiller, R.

    1957-08-01

    An improved bath is reported for plating gold on other metals. The composition of the plating bath is as follows: Gold cyanide from about 15 to about 50 grams, potassium cyanide from about 70 to about 125 grams, and sulfonated castor oil from about 0.1 to about 10 cc. The gold plate produced from this bath is smooth, semi-hard, and nonporous.

  15. Podocyte-specific RAP1GAP expression contributes to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis–associated glomerular injury

    PubMed Central

    Potla, Uma; Ni, Jie; Vadaparampil, Justin; Yang, Guozhe; Leventhal, Jeremy S.; Campbell, Kirk N.; Chuang, Peter Y.; Morozov, Alexei; He, John C.; D’Agati, Vivette D.; Klotman, Paul E.; Kaufman, Lewis

    2014-01-01

    Injury to the specialized epithelial cells of the glomerulus (podocytes) underlies the pathogenesis of all forms of proteinuric kidney disease; however, the specific genetic changes that mediate podocyte dysfunction after injury are not fully understood. Here, we performed a large-scale insertional mutagenic screen of injury-resistant podocytes isolated from mice and found that increased expression of the gene Rap1gap, encoding a RAP1 activation inhibitor, ameliorated podocyte injury resistance. Furthermore, injured podocytes in murine models of disease and kidney biopsies from glomerulosclerosis patients exhibited increased RAP1GAP, resulting in diminished glomerular RAP1 activation. In mouse models, podocyte-specific inactivation of Rap1a and Rap1b induced massive glomerulosclerosis and premature death. Podocyte-specific Rap1a and Rap1b haploinsufficiency also resulted in severe podocyte damage, including features of podocyte detachment. Over-expression of RAP1GAP in cultured podocytes induced loss of activated β1 integrin, which was similarly observed in kidney biopsies from patients. Furthermore, preventing elevation of RAP1GAP levels in injured podocytes maintained β1 integrin–mediated adhesion and prevented cellular detachment. Taken together, our findings suggest that increased podocyte expression of RAP1GAP contributes directly to podocyte dysfunction by a mechanism that involves loss of RAP1-mediated activation of β1 integrin. PMID:24642466

  16. Reliability assessment of different plate theories for elastic wave propagation analysis in functionally graded plates.

    PubMed

    Mehrkash, Milad; Azhari, Mojtaba; Mirdamadi, Hamid Reza

    2014-01-01

    The importance of elastic wave propagation problem in plates arises from the application of ultrasonic elastic waves in non-destructive evaluation of plate-like structures. However, precise study and analysis of acoustic guided waves especially in non-homogeneous waveguides such as functionally graded plates are so complicated that exact elastodynamic methods are rarely employed in practical applications. Thus, the simple approximate plate theories have attracted much interest for the calculation of wave fields in FGM plates. Therefore, in the current research, the classical plate theory (CPT), first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) and third-order shear deformation theory (TSDT) are used to obtain the transient responses of flexural waves in FGM plates subjected to transverse impulsive loadings. Moreover, comparing the results with those based on a well recognized hybrid numerical method (HNM), we examine the accuracy of the plate theories for several plates of various thicknesses under excitations of different frequencies. The material properties of the plate are assumed to vary across the plate thickness according to a simple power-law distribution in terms of volume fractions of constituents. In all analyses, spatial Fourier transform together with modal analysis are applied to compute displacement responses of the plates. A comparison of the results demonstrates the reliability ranges of the approximate plate theories for elastic wave propagation analysis in FGM plates. Furthermore, based on various examples, it is shown that whenever the plate theories are used within the appropriate ranges of plate thickness and frequency content, solution process in wave number-time domain based on modal analysis approach is not only sufficient but also efficient for finding the transient waveforms in FGM plates. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. A thermo-mechanical model of horizontal subduction below an overriding plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Hunen, Jeroen; van den Berg, Arie P.; Vlaar, Nico J.

    2000-10-01

    Subduction of young oceanic lithosphere cannot be explained by the gravitational driving mechanisms of slab pull and ridge push. This deficiency of driving forces can be overcome by obduction of an actively overriding plate, which forces the young plate either to subduct or to collide. This mechanism leads to shallow flattening of the slab as observed today under parts of the west coast of North and South America. Here this process is examined by means of numerical modeling. The convergence velocity between oceanic and continental lithospheric plates is computed from the modeling results, and the ratio of the subduction velocity over the overriding velocity is used as a diagnostic of the efficiency of the ongoing subduction process. We have investigated several factors influencing the mechanical resistance working against the subduction process. In particular, we have studied the effect of a preexisting lithospheric fault with a depth dependent shear resistance, partly decoupling the oceanic lithosphere from the overriding continent. We also investigated the lubricating effect of a 7 km thick basaltic crustal layer on the efficiency of the subduction process and found a log-linear relation between convergence rate and viscosity prefactor characterizing the strength of the oceanic crust, for a range of parameter values including values for basaltic rocks, derived from empirical data. A strong mantle fixes the subducting slab while being overridden and prevents the slab from further subduction in a Benioff style. Viscous heating lowers the coupling strength of the crustal interface between the converging plates with about half an order of magnitude and therefore contributes significantly to the subduction process. Finally, when varying the overriding velocity from 2.5 to 10 cm yr -1, we found a non-linear increase of the subduction velocity due to the presence of non-linear mantle rheology. These results indicate that active obduction of oceanic lithosphere by an

  18. Deep electrical resistivity structure of northwestern Costa Rica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brasse, H.; Kapinos, G.; Mütschard, L.; Alvarado, G. E.; Worzewski, T.; Jegen, M.

    2009-01-01

    First long-period magnetotelluric investigations were conducted in early 2008 in northwestern Costa Rica, along a profile that extends from the coast of the Pacific Ocean, traverses the volcanic arc and ends currently at the Nicaraguan border. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the electrical resistivity structure and thus fluid distribution at the continental margin where the Cocos plate subducts beneath the Caribbean plate. Preliminary two-dimensional models map the only moderately resistive mafic/ultramafic complexes of the Nicoya Peninsula (resistivity of a few hundred Ωm), the conductive forearc and the backarc basins (several Ωm). Beneath the backarc basin the data image a poor conductor in the basement with a clear termination in the south, which may tentatively be interpreted as the Santa Elena Suture. The volcanic arc shows no pronounced anomaly at depth, but a moderate conductor underlies the backarc with a possible connection to the upper mantle. A conductor at deep-crustal levels in the forearc may reflect fluid release from the downgoing slab.

  19. Plating To Reinforce Welded Joints

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Otousa, J. E.

    1982-01-01

    Electrodeposition used to strengthen welded joints gouged, nicked, or suffered other mechanical damage. Plating cell, typically of acrylic plastic such as poly (Methylmetacrylate), is assembled around part to be plated. Areas not to be plated are masked with plater's tape. Weld area is plated in standard nickel-plating process.

  20. Expanding the Availability of Lightweight Aluminum Alloy Armor Plate Procured from Detailed Military Specifications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doherty, Kevin; Squillacioti, Richard; Cheeseman, Bryan; Placzankis, Brian; Gallardy, Denver

    For many years, the range of aluminum alloys for armor plate applications obtainable in accordance with detailed military specifications was very limited. However, the development of improved aluminum alloys for aerospace and other applications has provided an opportunity to modernize the Army portfolio for ground vehicle armor applications. While the benefits of offering additional alloy choices to vehicle designers is obvious, the process of creating detailed military specifications for armor plate applications is not trivial. A significant amount of material and testing is required to develop the details required by an armor plate specification. Due to the vast number of material programs that require standardization and with a limited amount of manpower and funds as a result of Standardization Reform in 1995, one typically requires a need statement from a vehicle program office to justify and sponsor the work. This presentation will focus on recent aluminum alloy armor plate specifications that have added capability to vehicle designers' selection of armor materials that offer possible benefits such as lower cost, higher strength, better ballistic and corrosion resistance, improved weldability, etc.

  1. Mantle convection with plates and mobile, faulted plate margins.

    PubMed

    Zhong, S; Gurnis, M

    1995-02-10

    A finite-element formulation of faults has been incorporated into time-dependent models of mantle convection with realistic rheology, continents, and phase changes. Realistic tectonic plates naturally form with self-consistent coupling between plate and mantle dynamics. After the initiation of subduction, trenches rapidly roll back with subducted slabs temporarily laid out along the base of the transition zone. After the slabs have penetrated into the lower mantle, the velocity of trench migration decreases markedly. The inhibition of slab penetration into the lower mantle by the 670-kilometer phase change is greatly reduced in these models as compared to models without tectonic plates.

  2. Tackling antibiotic resistance: the environmental framework.

    PubMed

    Berendonk, Thomas U; Manaia, Célia M; Merlin, Christophe; Fatta-Kassinos, Despo; Cytryn, Eddie; Walsh, Fiona; Bürgmann, Helmut; Sørum, Henning; Norström, Madelaine; Pons, Marie-Noëlle; Kreuzinger, Norbert; Huovinen, Pentti; Stefani, Stefania; Schwartz, Thomas; Kisand, Veljo; Baquero, Fernando; Martinez, José Luis

    2015-05-01

    Antibiotic resistance is a threat to human and animal health worldwide, and key measures are required to reduce the risks posed by antibiotic resistance genes that occur in the environment. These measures include the identification of critical points of control, the development of reliable surveillance and risk assessment procedures, and the implementation of technological solutions that can prevent environmental contamination with antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes. In this Opinion article, we discuss the main knowledge gaps, the future research needs and the policy and management options that should be prioritized to tackle antibiotic resistance in the environment.

  3. Multiple piezo-patch energy harvesters on a thin plate with respective AC-DC conversion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aghakhani, Amirreza; Basdogan, Ipek

    2018-03-01

    Piezoelectric patch energy harvesters can be directly integrated to plate-like structures which are widely used in automotive, marine and aerospace applications, to convert vibrational energy to electrical energy. This paper presents two different AC-DC conversion techniques for multiple patch harvesters, namely single rectifier and respective rectifiers. The first case considers all the piezo-patches are connected in parallel to a single rectifier, whereas in the second case, each harvester is respectively rectified and then connected in parallel to a smoothing capacitor and a resistive load. The latter configuration of AC-DC conversion helps to avoid the electrical charge cancellation which is a problem with the multiple harvesters attached to different locations of the host plate surface. Equivalent circuit model of the multiple piezo-patch harvesters is developed in the SPICE software to simulate the electrical response. The system parameters are obtained from the modal analysis solution of the plate. Simulations of the voltage frequency response functions (FRFs) for the standard AC input - AC output case are conducted and validated by experimental data. Finally, for the AC input - DC output case, numerical simulation and experimental results of the power outputs of multiple piezo-patch harvesters with multiple AC-DC converters are obtained for a wide range of resistive loads and compared with the same array of harvesters connected to a single AC-DC converter.

  4. Behaviour of Plate Anchorage in Plate-Reinforced Composite Coupling Beams

    PubMed Central

    Lam, W. Y.; Li, Lingzhi; Su, R. K. L.; Pam, H. J.

    2013-01-01

    As a new alternative design, plate-reinforced composite (PRC) coupling beam achieves enhanced strength and ductility by embedding a vertical steel plate into a conventionally reinforced concrete (RC) coupling beam. Based on a nonlinear finite element model developed in the authors' previous study, a parametric study presented in this paper has been carried out to investigate the influence of several key parameters on the overall performance of PRC coupling beams. The effects of steel plate geometry, span-to-depth ratio of beams, and steel reinforcement ratios at beam spans and in wall regions are quantified. It is found that the anchorage length of the steel plate is primarily controlled by the span-to-depth ratio of the beam. Based on the numerical results, a design curve is proposed for determining the anchorage length of the steel plate. The load-carrying capacity of short PRC coupling beams with high steel ratio is found to be controlled by the steel ratio of wall piers. The maximum shear stress of PRC coupling beams should be limited to 15 MPa. PMID:24288465

  5. Plate fixation and bone grafting of distal clavicle nonunions: radiologic and functional outcomes.

    PubMed

    Villa, Jordan C; van der List, Jelle P; Gausden, Elizabeth B; Lorich, Dean G; Helfet, David L; Kloen, Peter; Wellman, David S

    2016-11-01

    The optimal treatment for distal clavicle nonunions remains unknown. Small series have reported outcomes following distal fragment excision and various fixation techniques. We present the clinical, radiographic and functional outcomes after superior plating or double (superior and anteroinferior) plating in combination with bone grafting as treatment for distal clavicle nonunions. We collected demographic and radiographic data from a consecutive series of ten patients with symptomatic nonunion of the distal clavicle treated since 1998. Functional outcomes were assessed, as well as the visual analogue scale (VAS) score. The mean clinical follow-up was 41.4 months (range of 12-158 months). The mean radiological follow-up was 30.6 months (range of 3-158 months). All nonunions healed as demonstrated by subsidence of clinical symptoms and radiographic criteria. The average time to union was 3.7 months (range of 2-8 months). The mean The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score was 11.9 (range of 0-62.5) and mean VAS score was 0.9 at follow-up. This study illustrates good clinical, radiologic and functional outcomes in ten patients with distal clavicle nonunion treated with superior or double (superior and anteroinferior) plating in combination with bone grafting. Double-plating can be considered an alternative to superior plating offering better resistance against the pulling effect of the arm with the use of smaller fixation plates.

  6. Economic Analysis of Anatomic Plating Versus Tubular Plating for the Treatment of Fibula Fractures.

    PubMed

    Chang, Gerard; Bhat, Suneel B; Raikin, Steven M; Kane, Justin M; Kay, Andrew; Ahmad, Jamal; Pedowitz, David I; Krieg, James

    2018-03-01

    Ankle fractures are among the most common injuries requiring operative management. Implant choices include one-third tubular plates and anatomically precontoured plates. Although cadaveric studies have not revealed biomechanical differences between various plate constructs, there are substantial cost differences. This study sought to characterize the economic implications of implant choice. A retrospective review was undertaken of 201 consecutive patients with operatively treated OTA type 44B and 44C ankles. A Nationwide Inpatient Sample query was performed to estimate the incidence of ankle fractures requiring fibular plating, and a Monte Carlo simulation was conducted with the estimated at-risk US population for associated plate-specific costs. The authors estimated an annual incidence of operatively treated ankle fractures in the United States of 59,029. The average cost was $90.86 (95% confidence interval, $90.84-$90.87) for a one-third tubular plate vs $746.97 (95% confidence interval, $746.55-$747.39) for an anatomic plate. Across the United States, use of only one-third tubular plating over anatomic plating would result in statistically significant savings of $38,729,517 (95% confidence interval, $38,704,773-$38,754,261; P<.0001). General use of one-third tubular plating instead of anatomic plating whenever possible for fibula fractures could result in cost savings of up to nearly $40 million annually in the United States. Unless clinically justifiable on a per-case basis, or until the advent of studies showing substantial clinical benefit, there currently is no reason for the increased expense from widespread use of anatomic plating for fractures amenable to one-third tubular plating. [Orthopedics. 2018; 41(2):e252-e256.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

  7. Inverse methods-based estimation of plate coupling in a plate motion model governed by mantle flow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ratnaswamy, V.; Stadler, G.; Gurnis, M.

    2013-12-01

    Plate motion is primarily controlled by buoyancy (slab pull) which occurs at convergent plate margins where oceanic plates undergo deformation near the seismogenic zone. Yielding within subducting plates, lateral variations in viscosity, and the strength of seismic coupling between plate margins likely have an important control on plate motion. Here, we wish to infer the inter-plate coupling for different subduction zones, and develop a method for inferring it as a PDE-constrained optimization problem, where the cost functional is the misfit in plate velocities and is constrained by the nonlinear Stokes equation. The inverse models have well resolved slabs, plates, and plate margins in addition to a power law rheology with yielding in the upper mantle. Additionally, a Newton method is used to solve the nonlinear Stokes equation with viscosity bounds. We infer plate boundary strength using an inexact Gauss-Newton method with line search for backtracking. Each inverse model is applied to two simple 2-D scenarios (each with three subduction zones), one with back-arc spreading and one without. For each case we examine the sensitivity of the inversion to the amount of surface velocity used: 1) full surface velocity data and 2) surface velocity data simplified using a single scalar average (2-D equivalent to an Euler pole) for each plate. We can recover plate boundary strength in each case, even in the presence of highly nonlinear flow with extreme variations in viscosity. Additionally, we ascribe an uncertainty in each plate's velocity and perform an uncertainty quantification (UQ) through the Hessian of the misfit in plate velocities. We find that as plate boundaries become strongly coupled, the uncertainty in the inferred plate boundary strength decreases. For very weak, uncoupled subduction zones, the uncertainty of inferred plate margin strength increases since there is little sensitivity between plate margin strength and plate velocity. This result is significant

  8. Fibonacci-like zone plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Shubo; Liu, Mengsi; Xia, Tian; Tao, Shaohua

    2018-06-01

    We present a new family of diffractive lenses, Fibonacci-like zone plates, generated with a modified Fibonacci sequence. The focusing properties and the evolution of transverse diffraction pattern for the Fibonacci-like zone plates have been analytically investigated both theoretically and experimentally and compared with the corresponding Fresnel zone plates of the same resolution. The results demonstrate that the Fibonacci-like zone plates possess the self-similar property and the multifocal behavior. Furthermore, the Fibonacci-like zone plate beams are found to possess the self-reconstruction property, and would be promising for 3D optical tweezers, laser machining, and optical imaging.

  9. Finite element analysis of locking plate and two types of intramedullary nails for treating mid-shaft clavicle fractures.

    PubMed

    Ni, Ming; Niu, Wenxin; Wong, Duo Wai-Chi; Zeng, Wei; Mei, Jiong; Zhang, Ming

    2016-08-01

    Both plate and intramedullary nail fixations, including straight and anatomic nails, have been clinically adopted for the treatment of displaced mid-shaft clavicle fractures. However, the biomechanical performances of these fixations and implants have not been well evaluated. This study aims to compare the construct stability, stress distribution and fracture micro-motion of three fixations based on finite element (FE) method. The FE model of clavicle was reconstructed from CT images of a male volunteer. A mid-shaft fracture gap was created in the intact clavicle. Three fixation styles were simulated including locking plate (LP), anatomic intramedullary nail (CRx), and straight intramedullary nail (RCP). Two loading scenarios (axial compression and inferior bending) were applied at the distal end of the clavicle to simulate arm abduction, while the sternal end was fixed. Under both conditions, the LP was the stiffest, followed by the CRx, and the RCP was the weakest. LP also displayed a more evenly stress distribution for both implant and bone. RCP had a higher stress compared with CRx in both conditions. Moreover, all implants sustained higher stress level under the loading condition of bending than compression. The plate fixation significantly stabilizes the fracture gap, reduces the implant stress, and serves as the recommended fixation for the mid-shaft clavicle fracture. The CRx is an alternative device to treat clavicle shaft fracture, but the shoulder excessive activities should be avoided after operation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Role of mantle flow in Nubia-Somalia plate divergence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stamps, D. S.; Iaffaldano, G.; Calais, E.

    2015-01-01

    Present-day continental extension along the East African Rift System (EARS) has often been attributed to diverging sublithospheric mantle flow associated with the African Superplume. This implies a degree of viscous coupling between mantle and lithosphere that remains poorly constrained. Recent advances in estimating present-day opening rates along the EARS from geodesy offer an opportunity to address this issue with geodynamic modeling of the mantle-lithosphere system. Here we use numerical models of the global mantle-plates coupled system to test the role of present-day mantle flow in Nubia-Somalia plate divergence across the EARS. The scenario yielding the best fit to geodetic observations is one where torques associated with gradients of gravitational potential energy stored in the African highlands are resisted by weak continental faults and mantle basal drag. These results suggest that shear tractions from diverging mantle flow play a minor role in present-day Nubia-Somalia divergence.

  11. Plate on plate osteosynthesis for the treatment of nonhealed periplate fractures.

    PubMed

    Arealis, Georgios; Nikolaou, Vassilios S; Lacon, Andrew; Ashwood, Neil; Hamlet, Mark

    2014-01-01

    Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to present our technique for the treatment of periplate fractures. Methods. From 2009 to 2012 we treated three patients. In all cases the existing plate was left and the new one placed over the existing. Locking screws were placed through both plates. The other screws in the new plate were used as best suited the fracture. Results. In all cases less than 6 months had passed between fractures. None of the original fractures had healed. Mean followup was 2 years. All fractures proceeded to union within 7 months. No complications were recorded. All the patients returned to their normal activities and were satisfied with the results of their treatment. Conclusion. Our plate on plate technique is effective for the treatment of periplate fractures. A solid fusion can be achieved at the new fracture site without disturbing the previous fixation.

  12. Resistive field structures for semiconductor devices and uses therof

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

    Marinella, Matthew; DasGupta, Sandeepan; Kaplar, Robert

    The present disclosure relates to resistive field structures that provide improved electric field profiles when used with a semiconductor device. In particular, the resistive field structures provide a uniform electric field profile, thereby enhancing breakdown voltage and improving reliability. In example, the structure is a field cage that is configured to be resistive, in which the potential changes significantly over the distance of the cage. In another example, the structure is a resistive field plate. Using these resistive field structures, the characteristics of the electric field profile can be independently modulated from the physical parameters of the semiconductor device. Additionalmore » methods and architectures are described herein.« less

  13. History of internal fixation with plates (part 2): new developments after World War II; compressing plates and locked plates.

    PubMed

    Hernigou, Philippe; Pariat, Jacques

    2017-07-01

    The first techniques of operative fracture with plates were developed in the 19th century. In fact, at the beginning these methods consisted of an open reduction of the fracture usually followed by a very unstable fixation. As a consequence, the fracture had to be opened with a real risk of (sometimes lethal) infection, and due to unstable fixation, protection with a cast was often necessary. During the period between World Wars I and II, plates for fracture fixation developed with great variety. It became increasingly recognised that, because a fracture of a long bone normally heals with minimal resorption at the bone ends, this may result in slight shortening and collapse, so a very rigid plate might prevent such collapse. However, as a consequence, delayed healing was observed unless the patient was lucky enough to have the plate break. One way of dealing with this was to use a slotted plate in which the screws could move axially, but the really important advance was recognition of the role of compression. After the first description of compression by Danis with a "coapteur", Bagby and Müller with the AO improved the technique of compression. The classic dynamic compression plates from the 1970s were the key to a very rigid fixation, leading to primary bone healing. Nevertheless, the use of strong plates resulted in delayed union and the osteoporosis, cancellous bone, comminution, and/or pathological bone resulted in some failures due to insufficient stability. Finally, new devices represented by locking plates increased the stability, contributing to the principles of a more biological osteosynthesis while giving enough stability to allow immediate full weight bearing in some patients.

  14. Analysis of the influence of the milling machine throw-out plate surfacing and structure design on throwing material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fang, Yuanbin; Sha, Hongwei; Yu, Yunmin; Chen, Bing

    2018-03-01

    Material composition, hardness and wear properties of the throw-out plate improved are analysed on a road milling machine. At the same time, analyse the tissue and performance of Fe based alloy named Fe60 cladding layer using the plasma surfacing method. And the original and improved throw-out plates are analysed throwing material effect by the dynamic analysis. Then the throw-out plate samples are verified. The results show that Fe60 powder is selected as surface strengthening material. By the improved structure, the hardness of the throw-out plate increases from 14.6HRC to 57.5HRC, and the wear resistance increases from 0.452g-1 to 16.393g-1. At the same time, it increases from 3263 to 3433 to fall into the collecting material number of milling machine. It provides important guidance for structure design and process design of the milling machine throw-out plate.

  15. Evaluation of a Fluorochlorozirconate Glass-Ceramic Storage Phosphor Plate for Gamma-Ray Computed Radiography

    DOE PAGES

    Leonard, Russell L.; Gray, Sharon K.; Alvarez, Carlos J.; ...

    2015-05-21

    In this paper, a fluorochlorozirconate (FCZ) glass-ceramic containing orthorhombic barium chloride crystals doped with divalent europium was evaluated for use as a storage phosphor in gamma-ray imaging. X-ray diffraction and phosphorimetry of the glass-ceramic sample showed the presence of a significant amount of orthorhombic barium chloride crystals in the glass matrix. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to identify crystal size, structure, and morphology. The size of the orthorhombic barium chloride crystals in the FCZ glass matrix was very large, ~0.5–0.7 μm, which can limit image resolution. The FCZ glass-ceramic sample was exposed to 1 MeV gammamore » rays to determine its photostimulated emission characteristics at high energies, which were found to be suitable for imaging applications. Test images were made at 2 MeV energies using gap and step wedge phantoms. Gaps as small as 101.6 μm in a 440 stainless steel phantom were imaged using the sample imaging plate. Analysis of an image created using a depleted uranium step wedge phantom showed that emission is proportional to incident energy at the sample and the estimated absorbed dose. Finally, the results showed that the sample imaging plate has potential for gamma-ray-computed radiography and dosimetry applications.« less

  16. Influence of different gaps among the split targets with gradient potential to the discharge effects generated by hypervelocity impact

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Enling; Zhao, Liangliang; Han, Yafei; Zhang, Qingming; Wang, Ruizhi; He, Liping; Liu, Shuhua

    2018-04-01

    Due to the actual situation of spacecraft surface' charging, such as convex corners, weld line, whalebone and a multiple-interfaces with different materials, all these are main factors leading to uneven charging of spacecraft surface, even creating gradient potential. If the charging spacecraft surface is impacted by debris or micrometeor, discharge effect induced by impacting will pose a serious threat to spacecraft in orbit. So realizing spacecraft charging surface with different potential differences and grasping discharge characteristics are a decisive importance at the different experimental conditions in laboratory. To simulate the spacecraft surface with a gradient potential in laboratory, spacecraft surface is split into different parts, which different gaps reserved in 2 adjacent surface is added resistance to create different potential surfaces, and the high potential surface as a impact target in the split targets. Charging circuit system realizing different gradient potential and discharge test system are built by ourselves, combining with two-stage light gas gun loading system, six sets of experiments have been performed about hypervelocity impact on 2A12 aluminum split targets with gradient potentials. In the experiments, gaps of 2A12 aluminum target are the same among different parts in every experiments, the gaps of the split targets are 2mm, 3mm, 5mm, 7mm and 10mm in the experiments, respectively. And the applied voltage is 300V in all the experiments and high-potential 2A12 aluminum plate as the impact target. The experiments have been performed at the impact velocity of about 3km/s and the incidence angles of 60o and 90o (between projectile flying trajectory and target plane), respectively. Voltage probe and current probes are used for acquiring discharge voltages and currents during the process of the impact. The experimental results showed that the discharge induced by impact plasma were generated among high and low-potential target by forming

  17. 1-kV vertical Ga2O3 field-plated Schottky barrier diodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Konishi, Keita; Goto, Ken; Murakami, Hisashi; Kumagai, Yoshinao; Kuramata, Akito; Yamakoshi, Shigenobu; Higashiwaki, Masataka

    2017-03-01

    Ga2O3 field-plated Schottky barrier diodes (FP-SBDs) were fabricated on a Si-doped n--Ga2O3 drift layer grown by halide vapor phase epitaxy on a Sn-doped n+-Ga2O3 (001) substrate. The specific on-resistance of the Ga2O3 FP-SBD was estimated to be 5.1 mΩ.cm2. Successful field-plate engineering resulted in a high breakdown voltage of 1076 V. A larger-than-expected effective barrier height of 1.46 eV, which was extracted from the temperature-dependent current-voltage characteristics, could be caused by the effect of fluorine atoms delivered in a hydrofluoric acid solution process.

  18. Gender Differences in Resistance to Schooling: The Role of Dynamic Peer-Influence and Selection Processes.

    PubMed

    Geven, Sara; O Jonsson, Jan; van Tubergen, Frank

    2017-12-01

    Boys engage in notably higher levels of resistance to schooling than girls. While scholars argue that peer processes contribute to this gender gap, this claim has not been tested with longitudinal quantitative data. This study fills this lacuna by examining the role of dynamic peer-selection and influence processes in the gender gap in resistance to schooling (i.e., arguing with teachers, skipping class, not putting effort into school, receiving punishments at school, and coming late to class) with two-wave panel data. We expect that, compared to girls, boys are more exposed and more responsive to peers who exhibit resistant behavior. We estimate hybrid models on 5448 students from 251 school classes in Sweden (14-15 years, 49% boys), and stochastic actor-based models (SIENA) on a subsample of these data (2480 students in 98 classes; 49% boys). We find that boys are more exposed to resistant friends than girls, and that adolescents are influenced by the resistant behavior of friends. These peer processes do not contribute to a widening of the gender gap in resistance to schooling, yet they contribute somewhat to the persistence of the initial gender gap. Boys are not more responsive to the resistant behavior of friends than girls. Instead, girls are influenced more by the resistant behavior of lower status friends than boys. This explains to some extent why boys increase their resistance to schooling more over time. All in all, peer-influence and selection processes seem to play a minor role in gender differences in resistance to schooling. These findings nuance under investigated claims that have been made in the literature.

  19. Disruption of gap junctions attenuates aminoglycoside-elicited renal tubular cell injury.

    PubMed

    Yao, Jian; Huang, Tao; Fang, Xin; Chi, Yuan; Zhu, Ying; Wan, Yigang; Matsue, Hiroyuki; Kitamura, Masanori

    2010-08-01

    Gap junctions play important roles in the regulation of cell phenotype and in determining cell survival after various insults. Here, we investigated the role of gap junctions in aminoglycoside-induced injury to renal tubular cells. Two tubular epithelial cell lines NRK-E52 and LLC-PK1 were compared for gap junction protein expression and function by immunofluorescent staining, Western blot and dye transfer assay. Cell viability after exposure to aminoglycosides was evaluated by WST assay. Gap junctions were modulated by transfection of the gap junction protein, connexin 43 (Cx43), use of Cx43 siRNA and gap junction inhibitors. NRK-E52 cells expressed abundant Cx43 and were functionally coupled by gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). Exposure of NRK-E52 cells to aminoglycosides, G418 and hygromycin, increased Cx43 phosphorylation and GJIC. The aminoglycosides also decreased cell viability that was prevented by gap junction inhibitors and Cx43 siRNA. LLC-PK1 cells were gap junction-deficient and resistant to aminoglycoside-induced cytotoxicity. Over-expression of a wild-type Cx43 converted LLC-PK1 cells to a drug-sensitive phenotype. The gap junction inhibitor alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid (alpha-GA) activated Akt in NRK-E52 cells. Inhibition of the Akt pathway enhanced cell toxicity to G418 and abolished the protective effects of alpha-GA. In addition, gentamycin-elicited cytotoxicity in NRK-E52 cells was also significantly attenuated by alpha-GA. Gap junctions contributed to the cytotoxic effects of aminoglycosides. Modulation of gap junctions could be a promising approach for prevention and treatment of aminoglycoside-induced renal tubular cell injury.

  20. Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in Swedish sewage sludge.

    PubMed

    Sahlström, Leena; Rehbinder, Verena; Albihn, Ann; Aspan, Anna; Bengtsson, Björn

    2009-05-29

    Antimicrobial resistance is a serious threat in veterinary medicine and human healthcare. Resistance genes can spread from animals, through the food-chain, and back to humans. Sewage sludge may act as the link back from humans to animals. The main aims of this study were to investigate the occurrence of vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) in treated sewage sludge, in a Swedish waste water treatment plant (WWTP), and to compare VRE isolates from sewage sludge with isolates from humans and chickens. During a four month long study, sewage sludge was collected weekly and cultured for VRE. The VRE isolates from sewage sludge were analysed and compared to each other and to human and chicken VRE isolates by biochemical typing (PhenePlate), PFGE and antibiograms. Biochemical typing (PhenePlate-FS) and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) revealed prevalence of specific VRE strains in sewage sludge for up to 16 weeks. No connection was found between the VRE strains isolated from sludge, chickens and humans, indicating that human VRE did not originate from Swedish chicken. This study demonstrated widespread occurrence of VRE in sewage sludge in the studied WWTP. This implies a risk of antimicrobial resistance being spread to new farms and to the society via the environment if the sewage sludge is used on arable land.

  1. Improving the performances of H-Darrieus cross-flow turbines through proper detached end plate designs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Villeneuve, Thierry; Boudreau, Matthieu; Dumas, Guy; CFD Laboratory LMFN Team

    2017-11-01

    Previous studies on H-Darrieus cross-flow turbines have highlighted the fact that their performances are highly sensitive to the detrimental effects associated with the blades tips. Wingtip devices could be designed in order to attenuate these effects, but the benefits of such devices are always impaired by their added viscous drag since they are moving with the turbine's blades. In this context, the development of fixed and detached end plates, i.e., which are not in contact with the turbine's blades, could reduce the tip losses without the undesirable added drag of typical wingtip devices moving with the blades. The case of a single stationary blade with detached end plates has first been investigated with RANS simulations in order to understand the mechanisms responsible for the increase of the blade's lift. An analysis of the vorticity lines' dynamics provides crucial insights into the effects of the gap width between the blade and the detached end plate on the blade's loading and on the intensity of the tip vortices. Based on these observations, various configurations of detached end plates are tested on cross-flow turbines via RANS and DDES simulations. Preliminary results show that appropriate detached end plates can significantly increase the turbines' efficiency. The authors gratefully acknowledge the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for their financial support as well as Compute Canada and Calcul Québec for their supercomputer allocations.

  2. Breeding for resistance to downy mildews and stalk rots in maize.

    PubMed

    Lal, S; Singh, I S

    1984-12-01

    The present review includes information on distribution, symptoms, inoculation techniques, disease rating, sources of resistance, genetics of resistance, breeding approaches for resistance, and the present status of resistance breeding with respect to Sclerophthora and Peronosclerospora downy mildews and Erwinia, Cephalosporium and Fusarium stalk rots. Some suggestions highlighting research gaps pertinent to future breeding strategies are mentioned.

  3. Reaching Resisters in a Teaching Assistant Training Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Carolyn I.

    2016-01-01

    In the past decade, there has been limited longitudinal qualitative research examining the effects of training programs on graduate students' teaching performance. One gap in this research is a discussion of Teaching Assistants (TAs) who resist such programs and an examination of strategies for overcoming this resistance. This action research…

  4. In vitro Resistance Testing of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Tannerella forsythia to Triclosan.

    PubMed

    Farsi, Deema; Tanner, Anne

    2016-04-01

    To determine the sensitivity of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Tannerella forsythia to triclosan, and determine if these bacteria develop resistance to triclosan upon prolonged exposure. Susceptibility to triclosan was tested against three periodontal pathogens P. gingivalis, P. intermedia, and T. forsythia. Escherichia coli strains sensitive and resistant to triclosan were used as biological controls to confirm the efficacy of triclosan in the assays. Agar plates were prepared locally with vitamin K and hemin-supplemented medium. Porphyromonas gingivalis and P. intermedia did not grow on plates containing ≥ 2 μg/ml triclosan, while T. forsythia did not grow on ≥ 1.66 μg/ml. Colonies of P. intermedia resistant to triclosan developed after prolonged incubation at 2 μg/ml, but this resistance disappeared during subculture in the absence of triclosan. No significant resistance to triclosan was detected for these species. Dental products containing triclosan can be beneficial in controlling periodontal disease.

  5. An improved plating process

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Askew, John C.

    1994-01-01

    An alternative to the immersion process for the electrodeposition of chromium from aqueous solutions on the inside diameter (ID) of long tubes is described. The Vessel Plating Process eliminates the need for deep processing tanks, large volumes of solutions, and associated safety and environmental concerns. Vessel Plating allows the process to be monitored and controlled by computer thus increasing reliability, flexibility and quality. Elimination of the trivalent chromium accumulation normally associated with ID plating is intrinsic to the Vessel Plating Process. The construction and operation of a prototype Vessel Plating Facility with emphasis on materials of construction, engineered and operational safety and a unique system for rinse water recovery are described.

  6. Portable Plating System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Flores, R.

    1984-01-01

    Plating system mounted on portable cart includes 30-gallon (23.5 liter) electrolyte tank, filler pump, heaters, replenishing anodes, plating rectifiers and tank rectifier to continously remove contaminants.

  7. The Importance of Lower Mantle Structure to Plate Stresses and Plate Motions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holt, W. E.; Wang, X.; Ghosh, A.

    2016-12-01

    Plate motions and plate stresses are widely assumed as the surface expression of mantle convection. The generation of plate tectonics from mantle convection has been studied for many years. Lithospheric thickening (or ridge push) and slab pull forces are commonly accepted as the major driving forces for the plate motions. However, the importance of the lower mantle to plate stresses and plate motions remains less clear. Here, we use the joint modeling of lithosphere and mantle dynamics approach of Wang et al. (2015) to compute the tractions originating from deeper mantle convection and follow the method of Ghosh et al. (2013) to calculate gravitational potential energy per unit area (GPE) based on Crust 1.0 (Laske et al., 2013). Absolute values of deviatoric stresses are determined by the body force distributions (GPE gradients and traction magnitudes applied at the base of the lithosphere). We use the same relative viscosity model that Ghosh et al. (2013) used, and we solve for one single adjustable scaling factor that multiplies the entire relative viscosity field to provide absolute values of viscosity throughout the lithosphere. This distribution of absolute values of lithosphere viscosities defines the magnitudes of surface motions. In this procedure, the dynamic model first satisfies the internal constraint of no-net-rotation of motions. The model viscosity field is then scaled by the single factor until we achieve a root mean square (RMS) minimum between computed surface motions and the kinematic no-net-rotation (NNR) model of Kreemer et al. (2006). We compute plate stresses and plate motions from recently published global tomography models (over 70 based on Wang et al., 2015). We find that RMS misfits are significantly reduced when details of lower mantle structure from the latest tomography models are added to models that contain only upper and mid-mantle density distributions. One of the key reasons is that active upwelling from the Large Low Shear

  8. Zero-resistance states induced by electromagnetic-wave excitation in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures.

    PubMed

    Mani, Ramesh G; Smet, Jürgen H; von Klitzing, Klaus; Narayanamurti, Venkatesh; Johnson, William B; Umansky, Vladimir

    2002-12-12

    The observation of vanishing electrical resistance in condensed matter has led to the discovery of new phenomena such as, for example, superconductivity, where a zero-resistance state can be detected in a metal below a transition temperature T(c) (ref. 1). More recently, quantum Hall effects were discovered from investigations of zero-resistance states at low temperatures and high magnetic fields in two-dimensional electron systems (2DESs). In quantum Hall systems and superconductors, zero-resistance states often coincide with the appearance of a gap in the energy spectrum. Here we report the observation of zero-resistance states and energy gaps in a surprising setting: ultrahigh-mobility GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures that contain a 2DES exhibit vanishing diagonal resistance without Hall resistance quantization at low temperatures and low magnetic fields when the specimen is subjected to electromagnetic wave excitation. Zero-resistance-states occur about magnetic fields B = 4/5 Bf and B = 4/9 Bf, where Bf = 2pifm*/e,m* is the electron mass, e is the electron charge, and f is the electromagnetic-wave frequency. Activated transport measurements on the resistance minima also indicate an energy gap at the Fermi level. The results suggest an unexpected radiation-induced, electronic-state-transition in the GaAs/AlGaAs 2DES.

  9. Electrically-controlled near-field radiative thermal modulator made of graphene-coated silicon carbide plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Yue; Wang, Liping

    2017-08-01

    In this work, we propose a hybrid near-field radiative thermal modulator made of two graphene-covered silicon carbide (SiC) plates separated by a nanometer vacuum gap. The near-field photon tunneling between the emitter and receiver is modulated by changing graphene chemical potentials with symmetrically or asymmetrically applied voltage biases. The radiative heat flux calculated from fluctuational electrodynamics significantly varies with graphene chemical potentials due to tunable near-field coupling strength between graphene plasmons across the vacuum gap. Thermal modulation and switching, which are the key functionalities required for a thermal modulator, are theoretically realized and analyzed. Newly introduced quantities of the modulation factor, the sensitivity factor and switching factor are studied quite extensively in a large parameter range for both graphene chemical potential and vacuum gap distance. This opto-electronic device with faster operating mode, which is in principle only limited by electronics and not by the thermal inertia, will facilitate the practical application of active thermal management, thermal circuits, and thermal computing with photon-based near-field thermal transport.

  10. Measurement of internal defects in aluminum using a nano-granular in-gap magnetic sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ozawa, T.; Yabukami, S.; Totsuka, J.; Koyama, S.; Hayasaka, J.; Wako, N.; Arai, K. I.

    2015-05-01

    Techniques for identifying defects in metals are very important in a wide variety of manufacturing areas. The present paper reports an eddy current testing method that employs a nano-granular in-gap magnetic sensor (GIGS) to detect internal defects in aluminum boards. The GIGS consists of a tunnel magnetoresistive film with nanometer sized grains and two yokes. In the presence of an external magnetic field, the nano-granular film exhibits only a small change in resistance due to the tunnel magnetoresistive effect. However, by placing it between two yokes, the magnetic flux can be greatly concentrated, thus increasing the change in resistance. The GIGS is a magnetic-field sensor that exploits this principle to achieve enhanced sensitivity. Moreover, because it has a cross-sectional yolk area of just 80 μm × 0.5 μm, it achieves outstanding spatial resolution. In the present study, it is used in combination with an eddy-current method in order to detect internal defects in aluminum. In this method, an excitation coil is used to apply an AC magnetic field perpendicular to the aluminum surface. This induces eddy currents in the metal, which in turn give rise to an AC magnetic field, which is then measured by the GIGS. The presence of defects in the aluminum distorts the eddy current flow, causing a change in the magnitude and distribution of the magnetic field. Such changes can be detected using the GIGS. In the present study, the proposed method was used to successfully detect indentations with diameters of 5 mm on the rear surface of an aluminum plate.

  11. An advanced arc track resistant airframe wire

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Beatty, J.

    1995-01-01

    Tensolite, a custom cable manufacturer specializing in high temperature materials as the dielectric medium, develops an advance arc track resistant airframe wire called Tufflite 2000. Tufflite 2000 has the following advantages over the other traditional wires: lighter weight and smaller in diameter; excellent wet and dry arc track resistance; superior dynamic cut-through performance even at elevated temperatures; flight proven performance on Boeing 737 and 757 airplanes; and true 260 C performance by utilizing Nickel plated copper conductors. This paper reports the different tests performed on Tufflite 2000: accelerated aging, arc resistance (wet and dry), dynamic cut through, humidity resistance, wire-to-wire abrasion, flammability, smoke, weight, notch sensitivity, flexibility, and markability. It particularly focuses on the BSI (British Standards Institute) dry arc resistance test and BSI wet arc tracking.

  12. Fuel cell end plate structure

    DOEpatents

    Guthrie, Robin J.; Katz, Murray; Schroll, Craig R.

    1991-04-23

    The end plates (16) of a fuel cell stack (12) are formed of a thin membrane. Pressure plates (20) exert compressive load through insulation layers (22, 26) to the membrane. Electrical contact between the end plates (16) and electrodes (50, 58) is maintained without deleterious making and breaking of electrical contacts during thermal transients. The thin end plate (16) under compressive load will not distort with a temperature difference across its thickness. Pressure plate (20) experiences a low thermal transient because it is insulated from the cell. The impact on the end plate of any slight deflection created in the pressure plate by temperature difference is minimized by the resilient pressure pad, in the form of insulation, therebetween.

  13. Mechanical stress in plates for bridging reconstruction mandibular defects and purposes of double plate reinforcement.

    PubMed

    Hoefert, Sebastian; Taier, Roberto

    2018-05-01

    To evaluate the biomechanical performance of a commercially available bridging plate (2.4) as well as screws and bone simulating the reconstruction of hemimandibular defects and to indicate alternatives of reinforcement to prevent plate fractures either by strength or fatigue. Two common hemimandibular defects are investigated using computed finite element analysis (FEA) approach. Simplified and refined computational models are developed for the geometry of the screw. Conditions of non-locking and locking plate-screw interfaces are considered. Static loads of 120 N are applied. Von Mises stresses and fatigue are calculated. As reinforcement, a second complete or partial plate is placed onto the original plate. Results demonstrate that reconstruction plates are often subjected to excessive stress that may lead to fracture either by strength or by fatigue. An attached complete or partial second plate is able to reduce stress in the plate, in screws and bone so that stress remains below the allowable limit of the materials. A simplified technique of attaching a whole or sectioned second plate onto the original plate can reduce the stress calculated and may reduce the frequency of plate fractures for the patient's comfort, security and financial savings. Copyright © 2018 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Gap junction intercellular communication mediated by connexin43 in astrocytes is essential for their resistance to oxidative stress.

    PubMed

    Le, Hoa T; Sin, Wun Chey; Lozinsky, Shannon; Bechberger, John; Vega, José Luis; Guo, Xu Qiu; Sáez, Juan C; Naus, Christian C

    2014-01-17

    Oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is associated with various neurological disorders including aging, neurodegenerative diseases, as well as traumatic and ischemic insults. Astrocytes have an important role in the anti-oxidative defense in the brain. The gap junction protein connexin43 (Cx43) forms intercellular channels as well as hemichannels in astrocytes. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of Cx43 to astrocytic death induced by the ROS hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the mechanism by which Cx43 exerts its effects. Lack of Cx43 expression or blockage of Cx43 channels resulted in increased ROS-induced astrocytic death, supporting a cell protective effect of functional Cx43 channels. H2O2 transiently increased hemichannel activity, but reduced gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC). GJIC in wild-type astrocytes recovered after 7 h, but was absent in Cx43 knock-out astrocytes. Blockage of Cx43 hemichannels incompletely inhibited H2O2-induced hemichannel activity, indicating the presence of other hemichannel proteins. Panx1, which is predicted to be a major hemichannel contributor in astrocytes, did not appear to have any cell protective effect from H2O2 insults. Our data suggest that GJIC is important for Cx43-mediated ROS resistance. In contrast to hypoxia/reoxygenation, H2O2 treatment decreased the ratio of the hypophosphorylated isoform to total Cx43 level. Cx43 has been reported to promote astrocytic death induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation. We therefore speculate the increase in Cx43 dephosphorylation may account for the facilitation of astrocytic death. Our findings suggest that the role of Cx43 in response to cellular stress is dependent on the activation of signaling pathways leading to alteration of Cx43 phosphorylation states.

  15. Expression of the NH2-Terminal Fragment of RasGAP in Pancreatic β-Cells Increases Their Resistance to Stresses and Protects Mice From Diabetes

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Jiang-Yan; Walicki, Jöel; Jaccard, Evrim; Dubuis, Gilles; Bulat, Natasa; Hornung, Jean-Pierre; Thorens, Bernard; Widmann, Christian

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVE Our laboratory has previously established in vitro that a caspase-generated RasGAP NH2-terminal moiety, called fragment N, potently protects cells, including insulinomas, from apoptotic stress. We aimed to determine whether fragment N can increase the resistance of pancreatic β-cells in a physiological setting. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A mouse line, called rat insulin promoter (RIP)-N, was generated that bears a transgene containing the rat insulin promoter followed by the cDNA-encoding fragment N. The histology, functionality, and resistance to stress of RIP-N islets were then assessed. RESULTS Pancreatic β-cells of RIP-N mice express fragment N, activate Akt, and block nuclear factor κB activity without affecting islet cell proliferation or the morphology and cellular composition of islets. Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests revealed that RIP-N mice control their glycemia similarly as wild-type mice throughout their lifespan. Moreover, islets isolated from RIP-N mice showed normal glucose-induced insulin secretory capacities. They, however, displayed increased resistance to apoptosis induced by a series of stresses including inflammatory cytokines, fatty acids, and hyperglycemia. RIP-N mice were also protected from multiple low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes, and this was associated with reduced in vivo β-cell apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS Fragment N efficiently increases the overall resistance of β-cells to noxious stimuli without interfering with the physiological functions of the cells. Fragment N and the pathway it regulates represent, therefore, a potential target for the development of antidiabetes tools. PMID:19696184

  16. Electronic correlation effects and the Coulomb gap at finite temperature.

    PubMed

    Sandow, B; Gloos, K; Rentzsch, R; Ionov, A N; Schirmacher, W

    2001-02-26

    We have investigated the effect of the long-range Coulomb interaction on the one-particle excitation spectrum of n-type germanium, using tunneling spectroscopy on mechanically controllable break junctions. At low temperatures, the tunnel conductance shows a minimum at zero bias voltage due to the Coulomb gap. Above 1 K, the gap is filled by thermal excitations. This behavior is reflected in the variable-range hopping resistivity measured on the same samples: up to a few degrees Kelvin the Efros-Shklovskii lnR infinity T(-1/2) law is obeyed, whereas at higher temperatures deviations from this law occur. The type of crossover differs from that considered previously in the literature.

  17. CAUSES OF POOR SEALANT PERFORMANCE IN SOIL-GAS- RESISTANT FOUNDATIONS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The paper discusses causes of poor sealant performance in soil-gas-resistant foundations. ealants for radon-resistant foundation construction must seal the gap between concrete sections. odern sealants have such low permeability that seal performance depends only on the permeabil...

  18. Fuel cell cooler-humidifier plate

    DOEpatents

    Vitale, Nicholas G.; Jones, Daniel O.

    2000-01-01

    A cooler-humidifier plate for use in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack assembly is provided. The cooler-humidifier plate combines functions of cooling and humidification within the fuel cell stack assembly, thereby providing a more compact structure, simpler manifolding, and reduced reject heat from the fuel cell. Coolant on the cooler side of the plate removes heat generated within the fuel cell assembly. Heat is also removed by the humidifier side of the plate for use in evaporating the humidification water. On the humidifier side of the plate, evaporating water humidifies reactant gas flowing over a moistened wick. After exiting the humidifier side of the plate, humidified reactant gas provides needed moisture to the proton exchange membranes used in the fuel cell stack assembly. The invention also provides a fuel cell plate that maximizes structural support within the fuel cell by ensuring that the ribs that form the boundaries of channels on one side of the plate have ends at locations that substantially correspond to the locations of ribs on the opposite side of the plate.

  19. Thermal barrier coating resistant to sintering

    DOEpatents

    Subramanian, Ramesh; Seth, Brij B.

    2004-06-29

    A device (10) is made, having a ceramic thermal barrier coating layer (16) characterized by a microstructure having gaps (18) with a sintering inhibiting material (22) disposed on the columns (20) within the gaps (18). The sintering resistant material (22) is stable over the range of operating temperatures of the device (10), is not soluble with the underlying ceramic layer (16) and is applied by a process that is not an electron beam physical vapor deposition process.

  20. Current plate velocities relative to the hotspots incorporating the NUVEL-1 global plate motion model

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gripp, Alice E.; Gordon, Richard G.

    1990-01-01

    The NUVEL-1 model of current global relative plate velocities is presently incorporated into HS2-NUVEL1, a global model for plate velocities relative to hotspots; the results thus obtained are compared with those of the AM1-2 model of hotspot-relative plate velocities. While there are places in which plate velocities relative to the hotspots differ between HS2-NUVEL1 and AM1-2 by tens of degrees in direction and 15 mm/yr in speed, the hotspot Euler vectors differ with 95 percent confidence only for the Arabian and Indian plates. Plates attached to subducting slabs move faster relative to the hotspots than do plates without slabs.

  1. How mantle slabs drive plate tectonics.

    PubMed

    Conrad, Clinton P; Lithgow-Bertelloni, Carolina

    2002-10-04

    The gravitational pull of subducted slabs is thought to drive the motions of Earth's tectonic plates, but the coupling between slabs and plates is not well established. If a slab is mechanically attached to a subducting plate, it can exert a direct pull on the plate. Alternatively, a detached slab may drive a plate by exciting flow in the mantle that exerts a shear traction on the base of the plate. From the geologic history of subduction, we estimated the relative importance of "pull" versus "suction" for the present-day plates. Observed plate motions are best predicted if slabs in the upper mantle are attached to plates and generate slab pull forces that account for about half of the total driving force on plates. Slabs in the lower mantle are supported by viscous mantle forces and drive plates through slab suction.

  2. Resistivity Measurement by Dual-Configuration Four-Probe Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yamashita, Masato; Nishii, Toshifumi; Mizutani, Hiroya

    2003-02-01

    The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Committee has published a new technique for the measurement of resistivity which is termed the dual-configuration four-probe method. The resistivity correction factor is the function of only the data which are obtained from two different electrical configurations of the four probes. The measurement of resistivity and sheet resistance are performed for graphite rectangular plates and indium tin oxide (ITO) films by the conventional four-probe method and the dual-configuration four-probe method. It is demonstrated that the dual-configuration four-probe method which includes a probe array with equal separations of 10 mm can be applied to specimens having thicknesses up to 3.7 mm if a relative resistivity difference up to 5% is allowed.

  3. Absolute Plate Velocities from Seismic Anisotropy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kreemer, Corné; Zheng, Lin; Gordon, Richard

    2015-04-01

    The orientation of seismic anisotropy inferred beneath plate interiors may provide a means to estimate the motions of the plate relative to the sub-asthenospheric mantle. Here we analyze two global sets of shear-wave splitting data, that of Kreemer [2009] and an updated and expanded data set, to estimate plate motions and to better understand the dispersion of the data, correlations in the errors, and their relation to plate speed. We also explore the effect of using geologically current plate velocities (i.e., the MORVEL set of angular velocities [DeMets et al. 2010]) compared with geodetically current plate velocities (i.e., the GSRM v1.2 angular velocities [Kreemer et al. 2014]). We demonstrate that the errors in plate motion azimuths inferred from shear-wave splitting beneath any one tectonic plate are correlated with the errors of other azimuths from the same plate. To account for these correlations, we adopt a two-tier analysis: First, find the pole of rotation and confidence limits for each plate individually. Second, solve for the best fit to these poles while constraining relative plate angular velocities to consistency with the MORVEL relative plate angular velocities. The SKS-MORVEL absolute plate angular velocities (based on the Kreemer [2009] data set) are determined from the poles from eight plates weighted proportionally to the root-mean-square velocity of each plate. SKS-MORVEL indicates that eight plates (Amur, Antarctica, Caribbean, Eurasia, Lwandle, Somalia, Sundaland, and Yangtze) have angular velocities that differ insignificantly from zero. The net rotation of the lithosphere is 0.25±0.11° Ma-1 (95% confidence limits) right-handed about 57.1°S, 68.6°E. The within-plate dispersion of seismic anisotropy for oceanic lithosphere (σ=19.2° ) differs insignificantly from that for continental lithosphere (σ=21.6° ). The between-plate dispersion, however, is significantly smaller for oceanic lithosphere (σ=7.4° ) than for continental

  4. GapBlaster-A Graphical Gap Filler for Prokaryote Genomes.

    PubMed

    de Sá, Pablo H C G; Miranda, Fábio; Veras, Adonney; de Melo, Diego Magalhães; Soares, Siomar; Pinheiro, Kenny; Guimarães, Luis; Azevedo, Vasco; Silva, Artur; Ramos, Rommel T J

    2016-01-01

    The advent of NGS (Next Generation Sequencing) technologies has resulted in an exponential increase in the number of complete genomes available in biological databases. This advance has allowed the development of several computational tools enabling analyses of large amounts of data in each of the various steps, from processing and quality filtering to gap filling and manual curation. The tools developed for gap closure are very useful as they result in more complete genomes, which will influence downstream analyses of genomic plasticity and comparative genomics. However, the gap filling step remains a challenge for genome assembly, often requiring manual intervention. Here, we present GapBlaster, a graphical application to evaluate and close gaps. GapBlaster was developed via Java programming language. The software uses contigs obtained in the assembly of the genome to perform an alignment against a draft of the genome/scaffold, using BLAST or Mummer to close gaps. Then, all identified alignments of contigs that extend through the gaps in the draft sequence are presented to the user for further evaluation via the GapBlaster graphical interface. GapBlaster presents significant results compared to other similar software and has the advantage of offering a graphical interface for manual curation of the gaps. GapBlaster program, the user guide and the test datasets are freely available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/gapblaster2015/. It requires Sun JDK 8 and Blast or Mummer.

  5. Highly conductive composites for fuel cell flow field plates and bipolar plates

    DOEpatents

    Jang, Bor Z; Zhamu, Aruna; Song, Lulu

    2014-10-21

    This invention provides a fuel cell flow field plate or bipolar plate having flow channels on faces of the plate, comprising an electrically conductive polymer composite. The composite is composed of (A) at least 50% by weight of a conductive filler, comprising at least 5% by weight reinforcement fibers, expanded graphite platelets, graphitic nano-fibers, and/or carbon nano-tubes; (B) polymer matrix material at 1 to 49.9% by weight; and (C) a polymer binder at 0.1 to 10% by weight; wherein the sum of the conductive filler weight %, polymer matrix weight % and polymer binder weight % equals 100% and the bulk electrical conductivity of the flow field or bipolar plate is at least 100 S/cm. The invention also provides a continuous process for cost-effective mass production of the conductive composite-based flow field or bipolar plate.

  6. High speed corner and gap-seal computations using an LU-SGS scheme

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Coirier, William J.

    1989-01-01

    The hybrid Lower-Upper Symmetric Gauss-Seidel (LU-SGS) algorithm was added to a widely used series of 2D/3D Euler/Navier-Stokes solvers and was demonstrated for a particular class of high-speed flows. A limited study was conducted to compare the hybrid LU-SGS for approximate Newton iteration and diagonalized Beam-Warming (DBW) schemes on a work and convergence history basis. The hybrid LU-SGS algorithm is more efficient and easier to implement than the DBW scheme originally present in the code for the cases considered. The code was validated for the hypersonic flow through two mutually perpendicular flat plates and then used to investigate the flow field in and around a simplified scramjet module gap seal configuration. Due to the similarities, the gap seal flow was compared to hypersonic corner flow at the same freestream conditions and Reynolds number.

  7. Anatomic fit of six different radial head plates: comparison of precontoured low-profile radial head plates.

    PubMed

    Burkhart, Klaus Josef; Nowak, Tobias E; Kim, Yoon-Joo; Rommens, Pol M; Müller, Lars P

    2011-04-01

    Bulky implants may lead to symptomatic soft tissue irritation after open reduction and internal fixation of radial head and neck fractures. The purpose of our study was to compare the anatomic fit of precontoured radial head plates. We stripped 22 embalmed human cadaveric radiuses of soft tissues. We investigated 6 radial head plates: (1) the Medartis radial head buttress plate (MBP), (2) the Medartis radial head rim plate (MRP), (3) the Synthes radial neck plate (SNP), (4) the Synthes radial head plate (SHP), (5) the Acumed radial head plate (AHP), and (6) the Wright radial head plate (WHP). Each plate was applied to each radial head at the place of best fit within the safe zone. We tested 4 parameters of anatomic fit: (1) plate-to-bone distance, (2) plate contact judged by 3 different observers, (3) pin-subchondral zone distance, and (4) plate-to-bone contact after adjustment of the plates. The MBP and MRP showed the lowest profile by objective measurements, the SNP and AHP had a moderate profile, and the SHP and WHP demonstrated the bulkiest profile. The subjective assessments also demonstrated the best fit for the MBP, a good fit for the SNP, a moderate fit for the MRP and AHP, and a poor fit for the SHP and WHP. The MBP, MRP, and AHP could always provide pin-subchondral zone contact, unlike the SHP, SNP, and WHP. After bending, significant improvement of plate-to-bone distance could only be seen for the MBP, MRP, and WHP. The ranking among plates remained the same except for the WHP, which showed a significantly lower plate-to-bone distance than the SHP. Currently available radial head implants are heterogeneous. The MBP and MRP showed the lowest profile and best anatomic fit. Owing to the complex radial head anatomy, to date there is no one radial head plate that perfectly fits all radial heads. Conformance of existing plates to the radial head and neck is not perfect. Careful plate selection and modification, when necessary, may minimize interference of this

  8. Geomorphology, active duplexing, and earthquakes within the Central Himalayan seismic gap

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morell, K. D.; Sandiford, M.; Rajendran, C. C.; Rajendran, K.

    2013-12-01

    geomorphic boundary. The observation that the geomorphic boundary of the seismic gap lies ~350 km to the west of the analogous PT2 of Central Nepal (yet there is no such well-defined physiographic transition in the region between them) suggests that the changing along-strike character of the middle/high Himalaya transition could reflect changes, on the order of 102 km, in the geometry and/or kinematics of the plate boundary thrust along-strike. These along-strike variations could segment the plate boundary and effectively restrict the locality and rupture length of large earthquakes. This hypothesis is supported by historical records of seismicity which indicate that the Mw ~7.5 earthquake of 1803 occurred roughly within the section of the seismic gap containing the geomorphic boundary, and the Mw ~7.7 earthquake of 1833 ruptured the ~350 km long section of the plate boundary occupied by the Nepalese PT2.

  9. Aseptic laboratory techniques: plating methods.

    PubMed

    Sanders, Erin R

    2012-05-11

    Microorganisms are present on all inanimate surfaces creating ubiquitous sources of possible contamination in the laboratory. Experimental success relies on the ability of a scientist to sterilize work surfaces and equipment as well as prevent contact of sterile instruments and solutions with non-sterile surfaces. Here we present the steps for several plating methods routinely used in the laboratory to isolate, propagate, or enumerate microorganisms such as bacteria and phage. All five methods incorporate aseptic technique, or procedures that maintain the sterility of experimental materials. Procedures described include (1) streak-plating bacterial cultures to isolate single colonies, (2) pour-plating and (3) spread-plating to enumerate viable bacterial colonies, (4) soft agar overlays to isolate phage and enumerate plaques, and (5) replica-plating to transfer cells from one plate to another in an identical spatial pattern. These procedures can be performed at the laboratory bench, provided they involve non-pathogenic strains of microorganisms (Biosafety Level 1, BSL-1). If working with BSL-2 organisms, then these manipulations must take place in a biosafety cabinet. Consult the most current edition of the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) as well as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for Infectious Substances to determine the biohazard classification as well as the safety precautions and containment facilities required for the microorganism in question. Bacterial strains and phage stocks can be obtained from research investigators, companies, and collections maintained by particular organizations such as the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). It is recommended that non-pathogenic strains be used when learning the various plating methods. By following the procedures described in this protocol, students should be able to: Perform plating procedures without contaminating media. Isolate single bacterial colonies by the streak-plating

  10. Aseptic Laboratory Techniques: Plating Methods

    PubMed Central

    Sanders, Erin R.

    2012-01-01

    Microorganisms are present on all inanimate surfaces creating ubiquitous sources of possible contamination in the laboratory. Experimental success relies on the ability of a scientist to sterilize work surfaces and equipment as well as prevent contact of sterile instruments and solutions with non-sterile surfaces. Here we present the steps for several plating methods routinely used in the laboratory to isolate, propagate, or enumerate microorganisms such as bacteria and phage. All five methods incorporate aseptic technique, or procedures that maintain the sterility of experimental materials. Procedures described include (1) streak-plating bacterial cultures to isolate single colonies, (2) pour-plating and (3) spread-plating to enumerate viable bacterial colonies, (4) soft agar overlays to isolate phage and enumerate plaques, and (5) replica-plating to transfer cells from one plate to another in an identical spatial pattern. These procedures can be performed at the laboratory bench, provided they involve non-pathogenic strains of microorganisms (Biosafety Level 1, BSL-1). If working with BSL-2 organisms, then these manipulations must take place in a biosafety cabinet. Consult the most current edition of the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) as well as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for Infectious Substances to determine the biohazard classification as well as the safety precautions and containment facilities required for the microorganism in question. Bacterial strains and phage stocks can be obtained from research investigators, companies, and collections maintained by particular organizations such as the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). It is recommended that non-pathogenic strains be used when learning the various plating methods. By following the procedures described in this protocol, students should be able to: ● Perform plating procedures without contaminating media. ● Isolate single bacterial colonies by the

  11. [Use of the Omega plate for stabilisation of acetabular fractures: first experience].

    PubMed

    Šrám, J; Taller, S; Lukáš, R; Endrych, L

    2013-01-01

    Score of 88 points (range, 81-98). The novel plate, shaped as a reverse omega letter, enables fixation of the quadrilateral area of the acetabulum through pressure of the arc of the plate against this area. Hitches, with holes for screw insertion, attached to the Omega plate in its middle part allow for fixation of fragments above the linea arcuata simply by pressure. Hitches in the ventral part provide for plate fixation to the ventral acetabular column and the superior pubic ramus. Hitches in the posterior segment of the plate facilitate insertion of a long screw in the posterior acetabular column from an additional iliac approach for stabilisation of simple acetabular fractures. The Omega plates are manufactured in several modifications. The Omega plate enables us to fix fractures of the superior pubic ramus, fractures of the anterior acetabular column, fractures of the quadrilateral acetabular plate, fractures in the iliopectineal line and simple fractures of the posterior column. A CT-defined projection of the pelvic inlet based on pre-operative CT scans allows us to choose the appropriate plate size and to shape the plate pre-operatively. After a technically well performed Stoppa approach and good fragment reduction, the application of an Omega plate is easy if our recommendations are followed. Fixation of all fragments of the anterior column and the quadrilateral plate is very stable and the Omega plate is highly resistant to secondary loss of reduction. A potential total hip arthroplasty does not require Omega plate removal.

  12. The research-practice gap: bridging the schism between eating disorder researchers and practitioners.

    PubMed

    Lilienfeld, Scott O; Ritschel, Lorie A; Lynn, Steven Jay; Brown, Amanda P; Cautin, Robin L; Latzman, Robert D

    2013-07-01

    The field of eating disorders (EDs) treatment has been beset by a marked disjunction between scientific evidence and clinical application. We describe the nature and scope of the research-practice gap in the ED field. We draw on surveys and broader literature to better understand the research-practice gap in ED treatment and reasons for resistance to evidence-based practice. We identify three sources of the research-practice gap: (1) attitudinal factors, (2) differences in the definition of "evidence," and (3) cognitive factors, especially naïve realism and confirmation bias. We affirm the role of science as a safeguard against human fallibility and as a means of bridging the research-practice gap, and delineate key principles of scientific thinking for ED researchers and practitioners. We conclude with proposals for narrowing the research-practice gap in ED treatment and enhancing the quality of interventions for ED clients. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Disruption of gap junctions attenuates aminoglycoside-elicited renal tubular cell injury

    PubMed Central

    Yao, Jian; Huang, Tao; Fang, Xin; Chi, Yuan; Zhu, Ying; Wan, Yigang; Matsue, Hiroyuki; Kitamura, Masanori

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Gap junctions play important roles in the regulation of cell phenotype and in determining cell survival after various insults. Here, we investigated the role of gap junctions in aminoglycoside-induced injury to renal tubular cells. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Two tubular epithelial cell lines NRK-E52 and LLC-PK1 were compared for gap junction protein expression and function by immunofluorescent staining, Western blot and dye transfer assay. Cell viability after exposure to aminoglycosides was evaluated by WST assay. Gap junctions were modulated by transfection of the gap junction protein, connexin 43 (Cx43), use of Cx43 siRNA and gap junction inhibitors. KEY RESULTS NRK-E52 cells expressed abundant Cx43 and were functionally coupled by gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). Exposure of NRK-E52 cells to aminoglycosides, G418 and hygromycin, increased Cx43 phosphorylation and GJIC. The aminoglycosides also decreased cell viability that was prevented by gap junction inhibitors and Cx43 siRNA. LLC-PK1 cells were gap junction-deficient and resistant to aminoglycoside-induced cytotoxicity. Over-expression of a wild-type Cx43 converted LLC-PK1 cells to a drug-sensitive phenotype. The gap junction inhibitor α-glycyrrhetinic acid (α-GA) activated Akt in NRK-E52 cells. Inhibition of the Akt pathway enhanced cell toxicity to G418 and abolished the protective effects of α-GA. In addition, gentamycin-elicited cytotoxicity in NRK-E52 cells was also significantly attenuated by α-GA. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Gap junctions contributed to the cytotoxic effects of aminoglycosides. Modulation of gap junctions could be a promising approach for prevention and treatment of aminoglycoside-induced renal tubular cell injury. PMID:20649601

  14. Flashback resistant pre-mixer assembly

    DOEpatents

    Laster, Walter R [Oviedo, FL; Gambacorta, Domenico [Oviedo, FL

    2012-02-14

    A pre-mixer assembly associated with a fuel supply system for mixing of air and fuel upstream from a main combustion zone in a gas turbine engine. The pre-mixer assembly includes a swirler assembly disposed about a fuel injector of the fuel supply system and a pre-mixer transition member. The swirler assembly includes a forward end defining an air inlet and an opposed aft end. The pre-mixer transition member has a forward end affixed to the aft end of the swirler assembly and an opposed aft end defining an outlet of the pre-mixer assembly. The aft end of the pre-mixer transition member is spaced from a base plate such that a gap is formed between the aft end of the pre-mixer transition member and the base plate for permitting a flow of purge air therethrough to increase a velocity of the air/fuel mixture exiting the pre-mixer assembly.

  15. Development of a brazing process for the production of water- cooled bipolar plates made of chromium-coated metal foils for PEM fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mueller, M.; Hoehlich, D.; Scharf, I.; Lampke, T.; Hollaender, U.; Maier, H. J.

    2016-03-01

    Beside lithium batteries, PEM fuel cells are the most promising strategy as a power source to achieve the targets for introducing and increasing the usage of electric vehicles. Due to limited space and weight problems, water cooled, metallic bipolar plates in a fuel cell metal stack are preferred in motor vehicles. These plates are stamped metal sheets with a complex structure, interconnected media-tight. To meet the multiple tasks and requirements in use, complex and expensive combinations of materials are currently in use (carbon fiber composites, graphite, gold-plated nickel, stainless and acid resistant steel). The production of such plates is expensive as it is connected with considerable effort or the usage of precious metals. As an alternative, metalloid nitrides (CrN, VN, W2N, etc.) show a high chemical resistance, hardness and a good conductivity. So this material category meets the basic requirements of a top layer. However, the standard methods for their production (PVD, CVD) are expensive and have a slow deposition rate and a lower layer thicknesses. Because of these limitations, a full functionality over the life cycle of a bipolar plate is not guaranteed. The contribution shows the development and quantification of an alternative production process for bipolar plates. The expectation is to get significant advantages from the combination of chromium electrodeposition and thermochemical treatment to form chromium nitrides. Both processes are well researched and suitable for series production. The thermochemical treatment of the chromium layer also enables a process-integrated brazing.

  16. Extreme ultraviolet quantum efficiency of opaque alkali halide photocathodes on microchannel plates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Siegmund, O. H. W.; Everman, E.; Vallerga, J. V.; Lampton, M.

    1988-01-01

    Comprehensive measurements are presented for the quantum detection efficiency (QDE) of the microchannel plate materials CsI, KBr, KCl, and MgF2, over the 44-1800 A wavelength range. QDEs in excess of 40 percent are achieved by several materials in specific wavelength regions of the EUV. Structure is noted in the wavelength dependence of the QDE that is directly related to the valence-band/conduction-band gap energy and the onset of atomic-like resonant transitions. A simple photocathode model allows interpretation of these features, together with the QDE efficiency variation, as a function of illumination angle.

  17. Glass-bead peen plating

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Graves, J. R.

    1974-01-01

    Peen plating of aluminum, copper, and nickel powders was investigated. Only aluminum was plated successfully within the range of peen plating conditions studied. Optimum plating conditions for aluminum were found to be: (1) bead/powder mixture containing 25 to 35% powder by weight, (2) peening intensity of 0.007A as measured by Almen strip, and (3) glass impact bead diameter of at least 297 microns (0.0117 inches) for depositing-100 mesh aluminum powder. No extensive cleaning or substrate preparation is required beyond removing loose dirt or heavy oil.

  18. Electronic Equipment Cold Plates

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1976-04-01

    using fans or blowers to force the air through the cooling device». ^J^lJ^^i 5!°^ it ia ’«"^"o^ve. nonto«ic. nonfla—able, *nd possesses good ...Techniques GENERAL THERMAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AND THEIR REgUIREMENTS FLON DISTRIBUTION IN MANIFOLDS THE COLD PLATE IA ,! 1 3 S 12 15 33 32 32... IA .1 132 132 132 155 169 179 183 r (1) Air-Cooled Cold Plate No. (2) Air-Cooled Cold Plate No. (3) Air-cooled Cold Plate No. (4) Air-Cooled

  19. Detection thresholds for gaps, overlaps, and no-gap-no-overlaps.

    PubMed

    Heldner, Mattias

    2011-07-01

    Detection thresholds for gaps and overlaps, that is acoustic and perceived silences and stretches of overlapping speech in speaker changes, were determined. Subliminal gaps and overlaps were categorized as no-gap-no-overlaps. The established gap and overlap detection thresholds both corresponded to the duration of a long vowel, or about 120 ms. These detection thresholds are valuable for mapping the perceptual speaker change categories gaps, overlaps, and no-gap-no-overlaps into the acoustic domain. Furthermore, the detection thresholds allow generation and understanding of gaps, overlaps, and no-gap-no-overlaps in human-like spoken dialogue systems. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

  20. Stability of radial head and neck fractures: a biomechanical study of six fixation constructs with consideration of three locking plates.

    PubMed

    Burkhart, Klaus Josef; Mueller, Lars P; Krezdorn, David; Appelmann, Philipp; Prommersberger, Karl J; Sternstein, Werner; Rommens, Pol M

    2007-12-01

    Open reduction and internal fixation of radial neck fractures can lead to secondary loss of reduction and nonunion due to insufficient stability. Nevertheless, there are only a few biomechanical studies about the stability achieved by different osteosynthesis constructs. Forty-eight formalin-fixed, human proximal radii were divided into 6 groups according to their bone density (measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry). A 2.7-mm gap osteotomy was performed to simulate an unstable radial neck fracture, which was fixed with 3 nonlocking implants: a 2.4-mm T plate, a 2.4-mm blade plate, and 2.0-mm crossed screws, and 3 locking plates: a 2.0-mm LCP T plate, a 2.0-mm 6x2 grid plate, and a 2.0-mm radial head plate. Implants were tested under axial (N/mm) and torsional (Ncm/ degrees ) loads with a servohydraulic materials testing machine. The radial head plate was significantly stiffer than all other implants under axial as well as under torsional loads, with values of 36 N/mm and 13 Ncm/ degrees . The second-stiffest implant was the blade plate, with values of 20 N/mm and 6 Ncm/ degrees . The weakest implants were the 2.0-mm LCP, with values of 6 N/mm and 2 Ncm/ degrees , and the 2.0-mm crossed screws, with values of 18 N/mm and 2 Ncm/ degrees . The 2.4-mm T plate, with values of 14 N/mm and 4 Ncm/ degrees , and the 2.0-mm grid plate, with values of 8 N/mm and 4 Ncm/ degrees came to lie in the midfield. The 2.0-mm angle-stable plates-depending on their design-allow fixation with comparable or even higher stability than the bulky 2.4-mm nonlocking implants and 2.0-mm crossed screws.