Interface Structure (interface + structure)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Effect of Interface Structure on the Microstructural Evolution of Ceramics

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 8 2006
Wook Jo
The interface atomic structure was proposed to have a critical effect on microstructure evolution during sintering of ceramic materials. In liquid-phase sintering, spherical grains show normal grain growth behavior without exception, while angular grains often grow abnormally. The coarsening process of spherical grains with a disordered or rough interface atomic structure is diffusion-controlled, because there is little energy barrier for atomic attachments. On the other hand, kink-generating sources such as screw dislocations or two-dimensional (2-D) nuclei are required for angular grains having an ordered or singular interface structure. Coarsening of angular grains based on a 2-D nucleation mechanism could explain the abnormal grain growth behavior. It was also proposed that a densification process is closely related to the interface atomic structure. Enhanced densification by carefully chosen additives during solid state sintering was explained in terms of the grain-boundary structural transition from an ordered to a disordered open structure. [source]


Interface Structure of an Epitaxial Cubic Ceria Film on Cubic Zirconia

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 2 2003
Chong-Min Wang
A cubic CeO2 (001) film with a thickness of ,58 nm was grown epitaxially on Y2O3 -stablized cubic ZrO2 by oxygen-plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy (OPA-MBE). The interface was characterized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The interface exhibited coherent regions separated by equally spaced misfit dislocations. When imaged from the [100] direction, the dislocation spacing is 3.3 ± 0.5 nm, which is slightly shorter than the expected value of 4.9 nm calculated from the differences in lattice constants given in the literature, but is fairly consistent with that of 3.9 nm which was calculated using the lattice mismatch measured by electron diffraction. Thus, the results presented here indicate that the lattice mismatch between the film and the substrate is accommodated mainly by interface misfit dislocations above some critical thickness. [source]


Interface Structure between Immiscible Reactive Polymers under Transreaction: a Monte Carlo Simulation

MACROMOLECULAR THEORY AND SIMULATIONS, Issue 5 2005
Xuehao He
Abstract Summary: The interface structure between two immiscible melts, a polycondensate polymer A (e.g., polycarbonate, polyester or polyamide) and a polymer B, was studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations using the bond fluctuation model. Polymer B contained a reactive end group (e.g., OH, NH2 or COOH). Copolymers were generated in-situ at the interfaces by transreactions (alcoholysis, aminolysis or acidolysis), composing of various length of block A, depending on the position of transreaction in the polycondensate chain A. The content of copolymer at the interface increased with the time, particular fast at the early stage. Fragments of polymers A were released with an end group, reactive to polymers A. This resulted in the proceeding of internal transreactions. An asymmetric interface structure was formed. The simulation also showed that copolymers generated by interfacial transreactions increased the compatibility of the two polymers and enhanced the adhesion strength at the interfaces. [source]


Effect of Interface Structure on the Microstructural Evolution of Ceramics

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 8 2006
Wook Jo
The interface atomic structure was proposed to have a critical effect on microstructure evolution during sintering of ceramic materials. In liquid-phase sintering, spherical grains show normal grain growth behavior without exception, while angular grains often grow abnormally. The coarsening process of spherical grains with a disordered or rough interface atomic structure is diffusion-controlled, because there is little energy barrier for atomic attachments. On the other hand, kink-generating sources such as screw dislocations or two-dimensional (2-D) nuclei are required for angular grains having an ordered or singular interface structure. Coarsening of angular grains based on a 2-D nucleation mechanism could explain the abnormal grain growth behavior. It was also proposed that a densification process is closely related to the interface atomic structure. Enhanced densification by carefully chosen additives during solid state sintering was explained in terms of the grain-boundary structural transition from an ordered to a disordered open structure. [source]


Grain-Boundary Viscosity of Preoxidized and Nitrogen-Annealed Silicon Carbides

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 10 2001
Giuseppe Pezzotti
Internal friction experiments were conducted on a model SiC polycrystal prepared from preoxidized (high-purity) SiC powder. This material contained high-purity SiO2 glass at grain boundaries in addition to a free-carbon phase, which was completely removed upon powder preoxidation. Comparative tests were conducted on a SiC polycrystal, obtained from the as-received SiC powder with the addition of 2.5 vol% of high-purity SiO2. This latter SiC material was also investigated after annealing at 1900°C for 3 h in a nitrogen atmosphere. Electron microscopy observations revealed a glass-wetted interface structure in SiC polycrystals prepared from both as-received and preoxidized powders. However, the former material also showed a large fraction of interfaces coated by turbostratic graphite. Upon high-temperature annealing in nitrogen, partial glass dewetting occurred, and voids were systematically observed at multigrain junctions. The actual presence of nitrogen could only be detected in a limited number of wetted interfaces. A common feature in the internal friction behavior of the preoxidized, SiO2 -added and nitrogen-annealed SiC was a relaxation peak that resulted from grain-boundary sliding. Frequency-shift analysis revealed markedly different characteristics for this peak: both the magnitude of the intergranular glass viscosity and the activation energy for grain-boundary viscous flow were much higher in the nitrogen-annealed material. Results of torsional creep tests were consistent with these findings, with nitrogen-annealed SiC being the most creep resistant among the tested materials. [source]


Necessary Conditions for the Formation of {111} Twins in Barium Titanate

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 11 2000
Byoung-Ki Lee
The experimental conditions for {111} twin formation in BaTiO3 were investigated. When BaTiO3 compacts without excess TiO2 were sintered either in an oxidizing atmosphere (air) or in a reducing atmosphere (95N2,5H2), no {111} twins formed within the BaTiO3 grains and no abnormal grain growth occurred. In contrast, many {111} twins were present within the abnormally grown grains in the excess-TiO2 -containing BaTiO3 samples sintered in air, while no twins were observed in the excess-TiO2 -containing samples sintered in 95N2,5H2. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that excess TiO2 forms a Ba6Ti17O40 phase during sintering with the space group A2/a in air and a Ba6Ti17O40,x phase with the space group C in 95N2,5H2. It appears therefore that excess TiO2 and an oxidizing atmosphere are necessary for {111} twin formation in BaTiO3. These results may also indicate that the interface structure between BaTiO3 and Ba6Ti17O40 influences the twin formation. [source]


Interface Structure between Immiscible Reactive Polymers under Transreaction: a Monte Carlo Simulation

MACROMOLECULAR THEORY AND SIMULATIONS, Issue 5 2005
Xuehao He
Abstract Summary: The interface structure between two immiscible melts, a polycondensate polymer A (e.g., polycarbonate, polyester or polyamide) and a polymer B, was studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations using the bond fluctuation model. Polymer B contained a reactive end group (e.g., OH, NH2 or COOH). Copolymers were generated in-situ at the interfaces by transreactions (alcoholysis, aminolysis or acidolysis), composing of various length of block A, depending on the position of transreaction in the polycondensate chain A. The content of copolymer at the interface increased with the time, particular fast at the early stage. Fragments of polymers A were released with an end group, reactive to polymers A. This resulted in the proceeding of internal transreactions. An asymmetric interface structure was formed. The simulation also showed that copolymers generated by interfacial transreactions increased the compatibility of the two polymers and enhanced the adhesion strength at the interfaces. [source]


ALD growth of Al2O3 on GaAs: Oxide reduction, interface structure and CV performance

PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 2 2010
H. D. Lee
Abstract We have studied the effect of the trimethylaluminum (TMA) precursor on the reduction of surface "native" oxides from GaAs substrates using medium energy ion scattering spectroscopy (MEIS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrical measurements. Our data show that after one single TMA pulse a substantial part of the native oxide is reduced and an oxygen-rich aluminum oxide layer is formed. Al2O3 films grown with the normal atomic layer deposition cycles of TMA and water show that the growth rate of the Al oxide during this initial reduction of the native oxides is faster than the rate once this reduction is completed. Furthermore, the results of C-V measurements of Al2O3/GaAs grown under the same conditions along with post deposition annealing indicate a good quality interface. (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


Synchrotron-Based Micro-CT and Refraction-Enhanced Micro-CT for Non-Destructive Materials Characterisation,

ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 6 2009
Bernd R. Müller
Abstract X-ray computed tomography is an important tool for non-destructively evaluating the 3-D microstructure of modern materials. To resolve material structures in the micrometer range and below, high brilliance synchrotron radiation has to be used. The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) has built up an imaging setup for micro-tomography and -radiography (BAMline) at the Berliner storage ring for synchrotron radiation (BESSY). In computed tomography, the contrast at interfaces within heterogeneous materials can be strongly amplified by effects related to X-ray refraction. Such effects are especially useful for materials of low absorption or mixed phases showing similar X-ray absorption properties that produce low contrast. The technique is based on ultra-small-angle scattering by microstructural elements causing phase-related effects, such as refraction and total reflection. The extraordinary contrast of inner surfaces is far beyond absorption effects. Crack orientation and fibre/matrix debonding in plastics, polymers, ceramics and metal-matrix-composites after cyclic loading and hydro-thermal aging can be visualized. In most cases, the investigated inner surface and interface structures correlate to mechanical properties. The technique is an alternative to other attempts on raising the spatial resolution of CT machines. [source]


Interfacial Polar-Bonding-Induced Multifunctionality of Nano-Silicon in Mesoporous Silica

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 13 2009
Jung Y. Huang
Abstract The optoelectronic response of a material governs its suitability for a wide range of applications, from photon detection to photovoltaic conversion. To conquer the material limitations and achieve improved optoelectronic responses, nanotechnology has been employed to arrange subunits with specific size-dependent quantum mechanical properties in a hierarchically organized structure. However, building a functional optoelectronic system from nano-objects remains a formidable challenge. In this paper, the fabrication of a new artificially engineered optoelectronic material by the preferential growth of silicon nanocrystals on the bottom of the pore-channels of mesoporous silica is reported. The nanocrystals form highly stable interface structures bonded on one side; these structure show strong electron,phonon coupling and a ferroelectric-like hysteretic switching property. A new class of multifunctional materials is realized by invoking a concept that employs semiconductor nanocrystals for optical sensing and utilizes interfacial polar layers to facilitate carrier transport and emulate ferroelectric-like switching. [source]


Investigation of InN layers grown by MOCVD using analytical and high resolution TEM: The structure, band gap, role of the buffer layers

PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 1 2006
P. Ruterana
Abstract In this work we investigate the microstructure of InN layers grown by MOCVD on different buffer layers using TEM (InN, GaN). The large mismatch between the various lattices (InN, sapphire or GaN) leads to particular interface structures. Our local analysis allows to show that at atomic scale, the material has the InN lattice parameters and that no metallic In precipitates are present, meaning that the PL emission below 0.8 eV is a genuine property of the InN semiconductor. It is also shown that the N polar layers, which exhibit a 2D growth, have poorer PL emission than In polar layers. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]