Fine Grains (fine + grain)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Terms modified by Fine Grains

  • fine grain size

  • Selected Abstracts


    Suppression of Ni4Ti3 Precipitation by Grain Size Refinement in Ni-Rich NiTi Shape Memory Alloys,

    ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 8 2010
    Egor A. Prokofiev
    Severe plastic deformation (SPD) processes, such as equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) and high pressure torsion (HPT), are successfully employed to produce ultra fine grain (UFG) and nanocrystalline (NC) microstructures in a Ti,50.7,at% Ni shape memory alloy. The effect of grain size on subsequent Ni-rich particle precipitation during annealing is investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAD, SAED), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It is observed that Ni4Ti3 precipitation is suppressed in grains of cross-sectional equivalent diameter below approximately 150,nm, and that particle coarsening is inhibited by very fine grain sizes. The results suggest that fine grain sizes impede precipitation processes by disrupting the formation of self-accommodating particle arrays and that the arrays locally compensate for coherency strains during nucleation and growth. [source]


    Enhanced Piezoelectric Properties in Mn-Doped 0.98K0.5Na0.5NbO3,0.02BiScO3 Lead-Free Ceramics

    JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 7 2009
    Xuhai Li
    Mn-doped 0.98K0.5Na0.5NbO3,0.02BiScO3 (0.98KNN,0.02BS) lead-free piezoelectric ceramics have been prepared by a conventional sintering technique and the effects of Mn doping on the phase structure and piezoelectric properties of the ceramics have been studied. Our results reveal that a small amount of Mn can improve the densification of the ceramics effectively. Because of the high densification, fine grain, and Mn doping effects, the piezoelectric and dielectric properties of the ceramics are improved considerably. Very good piezoelectric and dielectric properties of d33=288 pC/N, kp=0.46, ,r=1591, and TC=328°C were obtained for the 0.98KNN,0.02BS ceramics doped with 0.8 mol% Mn. Therefore, the 0.98KNN,0.02BS ceramics containing a small amount of Mn are a good candidate material for lead-free piezoelectric ceramics. [source]


    Sedimentological, modal analysis and geochemical studies of desert and coastal dunes, Altar Desert, NW Mexico

    EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 4 2007
    J. J. Kasper-Zubillaga
    Abstract Sedimentological, compositional and geochemical determinations were carried out on 54 desert and coastal dune sand samples to study the provenance of desert and coastal dunes of the Altar Desert, Sonora, Mexico. Grain size distributions of the desert dune sands are influenced by the Colorado River Delta sediment supply and wind selectiveness. The desert dune sands are derived mainly from the quartz-rich Colorado River Delta sediments and sedimentary lithics. The dune height does not exert a control over the grain size distributions of the desert dune sands. The quartz enrichment of the desert dune sands may be due to wind sorting, which concentrates more quartz grains, and to the aeolian activity, which has depleted the feldspar grains through subaerial collisions. The desert dune sands suffer from little chemical weathering and they are chemically homogeneous, with chemical alteration indices similar to those found in other deserts of the world. The desert sands have been more influenced by sedimentary and granitic sources. This is supported by the fact that Ba and Sr concentration values of the desert sands are within the range of the Ba and Sr concentration values of the Colorado River quartz-rich sediments. The Sr values are also linked to the presence of Ca-bearing minerals. The Zr values are linked to the sedimentary sources and heavy mineral content in the desert dunes. The Golfo de Santa Clara and Puerto Peñasco coastal dune sands are influenced by long shore drift, tidal and aeolian processes. Coarse grains are found on the flanks whereas fine grains are on the crest of the dunes. High tidal regimens, long shore drift and supply from Colorado Delta River sediments produce quartz-rich sands on the beach that are subsequently transported into the coastal dunes. Outcrops of Quaternary sedimentary rocks and granitic sources increase the sedimentary and plutonic lithic content of the coastal dune sands. The chemical index of alteration (CIA) values for the desert and coastal dune sands indicate that both dune types are chemically homogeneous. The trace element values for the coastal dune sands are similar to those found for the desert dune sands. However, an increase in Sr content in the coastal dune sands may be due to more CaCO3 of biogenic origin as compared to the desert dune sands. Correlations between the studied parameters show that the dune sands are controlled by sedimentary sources (e.g. Colorado River Delta sediments), since heavy minerals are present in low percentages in the dune sands, probably due to little heavy mineral content from the source sediment; grain sizes in the dune sands are coarser than those in which heavy minerals are found and/or the wind speed might not exert a potential entrainment effect on the heavy mineral fractions to be transported into the dune. A cluster analysis shows that the El Pinacate group is significantly different from the rest of the dune sands in terms of the grain-size parameters due to longer transport of the sands and the long distance from the source sediment, whereas the Puerto Peñasco coastal dune sands are different from the rest of the groups in terms of their geochemistry, probably caused by their high CaCO3 content and slight decrease in the CIA value. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Fine-microstructure Mediated Efficient Hydrogen Oxidation in Ni/YSZ Anode Fabricated from Novel Co-precipitation Derived Nanocomposites

    FUEL CELLS, Issue 2 2010
    K. Sato
    Abstract Fine-microstructure mediated efficient hydrogen oxidation was demonstrated on nickel/yttria-stabilised zirconia (Ni/YSZ) anode fabricated from NiO/YSZ nanocomposite particles, synthesised via a novel co-precipitation method using YSZ nanoparticles with the average size of 3,nm. Transmission electron microscopy image revealed that nanocomposite particles calcined at 600,°C consisted of homogeneously distributed NiO and YSZ nanocrystals, approximately 5,nm large. The Ni/YSZ anode was fabricated by sintering the screen-printed nanocomposites at 1,300,°C and their subsequent reduction. The anode had a uniform porous microstructure consisting of fine grains in the range of 200,300,nm, and exhibited quite low area-specific resistance (ASR) of 2.29, 0.43 and 0.15,,,cm2 at 600, 700 and 800,°C, respectively. [source]


    Influence of Wet Mechanical Mixing on Microstructure and Vickers Hardness of Nanocrystalline Ceramic,Metal Composites

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY, Issue 5 2008
    Tatsuo Kumagai
    Nanocrystalline (nc) ceramic,metal composite bulk samples have been fabricated by consolidation of mixture of attrition-milled (AM) amorphous base ceramic ((ZrO2,3 mol% Y2O3),20 mol% Al2O3) and AM amorphous base metallic (Ti,48 mol% Al) powders using a pulse-current pressure sintering system. Microstructural observations revealed that the ceramic and metallic colonies appear blocky in morphology in the composite bulk samples, and both the ceramic and the metallic colonies consist of a large number of equiaxed fine grains with the sizes of 78,82 and 81,86 nm, respectively. Mechanical mixing treatments by wet ball milling in ethanol before consolidation process are effective for refinement of the ceramic and metallic colonies. In all the obtained composite bulk samples, the ceramic colonies consist of the dominant phase of tetragonal (t) ZrO2 solid solution (ss) together with the minor phases of monoclinic (m) ZrO2ss and ,-Al2O3. On the other hand, the dominant phase in the metallic colonies changes from Ti3Al (,2) to Tiss (,) with an increase in the t -ZrO2ss volume fraction by abrasion of 3 mol% yttria-stabilized tetragonal polycrystalline zirconia balls during wet mechanical mixing treatments. Such a phase transformation from ,2 to , is considered to be due to the decrease in the aluminum content in the metallic colonies by combination of aluminum with oxygen (i.e., the formation of ,-Al2O3), which is probably taken from ethanol (C2H5OH) into the powders during wet mechanical mixing treatments. The obtained nc composite bulk samples show good Vickers hardness values, which are considerably higher than those estimated from the rule of mixture. [source]


    Differential Sintering by Improper Selection of Sintering Parameters during Pulse Electric Current Sintering

    JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 1 2004
    D. Doni Jayaseelan
    Recently, we reported on the retention of fine-grained micro-structure in Al2O3/3 vol% 3Y-ZrO2 composites using the pulse electric current sintering (PECS) technique. It was demonstrated that a high heating rate is beneficial for the retention of fine grains and homogeneous microstructure. As there are few reports on microstructural inhomogeneity and excessive grain growth in compacts densified by the PECS technique, we carried out a series of experiments on monolithic alumina by varying the sintering parameters and discussed the characteristic results. All specimens that were densified under selective sintering conditions attained high density (,99% of the theoretical density) at 1250°3C in > 5 min. The average fracture strength of monolithic alumina was observed to be 741 ± 25 MPa and the fracture toughness was 2.2 MPa.m <1/2, and these were reasoned out to small grains. However, compacts sintered under very low compaction pressure attained ,92%-93% of the theoretical density, and these specimens had undesirable microstructural inhomogeneity owing to differential sintering. Hence, in the present study, we address the problem of differential sintering. [source]


    Polycrystalline Si films with unique microstructures formed from amorphous Si films by non-thermal equilibrium flash lamp annealing

    PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 3-4 2010
    Keisuke Ohdaira
    Abstract Flash lamp annealing (FLA), with millisecond-order duration, can crystallize amorphous silicon (a-Si) films a few ,m thick on glass substrates, resulting in formation of polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) films with unprecedented periodic microstructures. The characteristic microstructure, formed spontaneously during crystallization, consists of large-grain regions, containing relatively large grains more than 100 nm in size, and fine-grain regions, including only 10-nm-sized fine grains. The microstructures results from explosive crystallization (EC), driven by heat generation corresponding to the difference of the enthalpies of meta-stable a-Si and stable crystalline Si (c-Si) states, which realizes lateral crystallization velocity on the order of m/s. The lateral crystallization may stop when the temperature of a-Si in the vicinity of c-Si, which is decided by both homogeneous heating from flash irradiation and thermal diffusion from c-Si, falls below a crystallization temperature. This idea is supported by the experimental fact that a lateral crystallization length decreases with decreasing pulse duration. (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


    Petrology, Mineralogy and Geochemisty of Antarctic Mesosiderite GRV 020175: Implications for Its Complex Formation History

    ACTA GEOLOGICA SINICA (ENGLISH EDITION), Issue 3 2010
    Linyan WANG
    Abstract: GRV 020175 is an Antarctic mesosiderite, containing about 43 vol% silicates and 57 vol% metal. Metal occurs in a variety of textures from irregular large masses, to veins penetrating silicates, and to matrix fine grains. The metallic portion contains kamacite, troilite and minor taenite. Terrestrial weathering is evident as partial replacement of the metal and troilite veins by Fe oxides. Silicate phases exhibit a porphyritic texture with pyroxene, plagioclase, minor silica and rare olivine phenocrysts embedded in a fine-grained groundmass. The matrix is ophitic and consists mainly of pyroxene and plagioclase grains. Some orthopyroxene phenocrysts occur as euhedral crystals with chemical zoning from a magnesian core to a ferroan overgrowth; others are characterized by many fine inclusions of plagioclase composition. Pigeonite has almost inverted to its orthopyroxene host with augite lamellae, enclosed by more magnesian rims. Olivine occurs as subhedral crystals, surrounded by a necklace of tiny chromite grains (about 2,3 ,m). Plagioclase has a heterogeneous composition without zoning. Pyroxene geothermometry of GRV 020175 gives a peak metamorphic temperature (,1000°C) and a closure temperature (,875°C). Molar Fe/Mn ratios (19,32) of pyroxenes are consistent with mesosiderite pyroxenes (16,35) and most plagioclase compositions (An87.5,96.6) are within the range of mesosiderite plagioclase grains (An88,95). Olivine composition (Fo53.8) is only slightly lower than the range of olivine compositions in mesosiderites (Fo55,90). All petrographic characteristics and chemical compositions of GRV 020175 are consistent with those of mesosiderite and based on its matrix texture and relatively abundant plagioclase, it can be further classified as a type 3A mesosiderite. Mineralogical, petrological, and geochemical studies of GRV 020175 imply a complex formation history starting as rapid crystallization from a magma in a lava flow on the surface or as a shallow intrusion. Following primary igneous crystallization, the silicate underwent varying degrees of reheating. It was reheated to 1000°C, followed by rapid cooling to 875°C. Subsequently, metal mixed with silicate, during or after which, reduction of silicates occurred; the reducing agent is likely to have been sulfur. After redox reaction, the sample underwent thermal metamorphism, which produced the corona on the olivine, rims on the inverted pigeonite phenocrysts and overgrowths on the orthopyroxene phenocrysts, and homogenized matrix pyroxenes. Nevertheless, metamorphism was not extensive enough to completely reequilibrate the GRV 020175 materials. [source]


    Low-Temperature Plasticity of Naturally Deformed Calcite Rocks

    ACTA GEOLOGICA SINICA (ENGLISH EDITION), Issue 3 2002
    LIU Junlai
    Abstract Optical, cathodoluminescence and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analyses were conducted on four groups of calcite fault rocks, a cataclastic limestone, cataclastic coarse-grained marbles from two fault zones, and a fractured mylonite. These fault rocks show similar microstructural characteristics and give clues to similar processes of rock deformation. They are characterized by the structural contrast between macroscopic cataclastic (brittle) and microscopic mylonitic (ductile) microstructures. Intragranular deformation microstructures (i.e. deformation twins, kink bands and microfractures) are well preserved in the deformed grains in clasts or in primary rocks. The matrix materials are of extremely fine grains with diffusive features. Dislocation microstructures for co-existing brittle deformation and crystalline plasticity were revealed using TEM. Tangled dislocations are often preserved at the cores of highly deformed clasts, while dislocation walls form in the transitions to the fine-grained matrix materials and free dislocations, dislocation loops and dislocation dipoles are observed both in the deformed clasts and in the fine-grained matrix materials. Dynamic recrystallization grains from subgrain rotation recrystallization and subsequent grain boundary migration constitute the major parts of the matrix materials. Statistical measurements of densities of free dislocations, grain sizes of subgrains and dynamically recrystallized grains suggest an unsteady state of the rock deformation. Microstructural and cathodoluminescence analyses prove that fluid activity is one of the major parts of faulting processes. Low-temperature plasticity, and thereby induced co-existence of macroscopic brittle and microscopic ductile microstructures are attributed to hydrolytic weakening due to the involvement of fluid phases in deformation and subsequent variation of rock rheology. During hydrolytic weakening, fluid phases, e.g. water, enhance the rate of dislocation slip and climb, and increase the rate of recovery of strain-hardened rocks, which accommodates fracturing. [source]