Material Coefficients Research Articles

Using machine learning to predict gamma shielding properties: a comparative study

Abstract This study employed machine learning (ML) algorithms to predict the linear attenuation coefficients (LACs) of materials in inorganic scintillation detectors, which are crucial for evaluating self-shielding properties. Predictions from various ML models were compared with results from the Phy-X/PSD program across different photon energies. The Gradient Boosting Regressor (GBR) model was identified as the most accurate model, achieving a testing set accuracy of 96.40%. This research showcases the potential of ML for efficiently and accurately estimating LACs, with the GBR model showing promise for applications in radiation detection and material science.

High temperature setup for measurement of Hall coefficient and electrical conductivity of thermoelectric materials.

An experimental setup has been developed for the simultaneous measurement of the Hall coefficient (RH) and electrical conductivity (σ) of thermoelectric (TE) specimens in the temperature range of 300-700K. The van der Pauw geometry is utilized for the RH and σ measurements. The sample holder geometry has been designed for diverse TE specimen dimensions and easy sample mounting. A special feature of the holder geometry is that the same sample can be used for other relevant thermoelectric measurements such as the Seebeck coefficient and thermal diffusivity. This minimizes measurement errors associated with compositional or doping inhomogeneities. In the absence of high temperature standard reference materials for Hall coefficient measurements, silicon samples with different doping concentrations have been used to verify the accuracy of the instrument. Additionally, the electrical conductivity data have been validated by measurements on the same samples in a calibrated setup. Repeat measurements indicate a maximum standard deviation of ±3% and ±0.5% for the RH and σ data in the studied temperature range. Furthermore, comparisons with the calibrated setup indicate deviations within ±3% for the σ data. The suitability of the measurement setup for TE specimens has been demonstrated using measurements on n-type (Mg2Sn) and p-type (Mg3Sb2) specimens with carrier concentrations in the range of 1019-1020cm-3.

The effect of in situ-synthesized Y2SiO5 on the thermal shock resistance of Y2O3 ceramic materials

Y2O3 ceramics are increasingly recognized for their excellent vacuum stability and high-temperature chemical stability in the field of functional materials research. However, their poor thermal shock resistance renders them susceptible to spalling and damage during use, thus restricting further applications. To address this issue, the low thermal expansion coefficients of Y2SiO5 materials were leveraged. Through an in situ reaction between SiO2 and Y2O3, a Y2SiO5 phase was generated that induced a thermal expansion mismatch with Y2O3, thereby enhancing the thermal shock resistance of the ceramic. Using Y2O3 fine powder as the primary material, silica sol and nano-SiO2 were selected as reactive silicon sources to prepare Y2O3–Y2SiO5 composite ceramics at 1750 °C. The impact of the different silicon sources and Y2SiO5 phase content on the microstructure, mechanical, and thermal properties of the composite ceramics was studied. The results demonstrated that the in situ formation of Y2SiO5 significantly improved the thermal shock resistance of the composite ceramic. Specifically, increasing the SiO2 content led to a gradual rise in the volume fraction of Y2SiO5 formed between Y2O3 grains, thereby increasing the residual flexural strength and enhancing the hardness and elastic modulus. The low thermal expansion coefficient of Y2SiO5 reduced the overall thermal expansion coefficient of the composite material, thereby improving the thermal shock resistance. Moreover, the thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between the Y2O3 and Y2SiO5 phases induced numerous microcracks within the material, providing thermal stress relief within the microcracks and markedly improving the resistance of the ceramic to thermal shock.

Improved performance of MgxZn1-xO flexible UV photodetectors by piezo-phototronic effect through alloying treatment

MgxZn1-xO films (x = 0.22, 0.39, and 0.52) with a single hexagonal wurtzite structure were grown on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technique. The piezo-phototronic properties of flexible ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors with MgxZn1-xO films were investigated by examining the relationship between their photoelectric characteristics and strain, and the impact of Mg alloying on their piezo-phototronic effect. As the tensile strain of the detectors increased from ε = 0 to ε = 0.2, the responsivity of Mg0.22Zn0.78O, Mg0.39Zn0.61O, and Mg0.52Zn0.48O flexible UV photodetectors increased by ∼ 260 %, ∼308 %, and ∼ 441 %, respectively, showing an enhanced piezo-phototronic effect with increasing Mg content. It could be attributed to the fact that the alloying process increased the piezoelectric coefficient of the MgxZn1-xO materials, thereby increasing the piezopotential. This work provides a technical approach for the preparation and performance optimization of novel flexible optoelectronic functional devices.

One-Port Coaxial Line Sample Holder Characterisation Method of Dielectric Spectra.

A technique for solving the one-port closed coaxial transmission line sample holder scattering equation for complex permittivity inversion for lossy materials is presented. A non-linear least-squares procedure is used for the determination of parameters for the specification of the spectral functional form of the complex permittivity. The method allows for accurate retrieval of many low- and high-permittivity dielectric materials in the frequency range of 1 GHz to 3 GHz inserted into the coaxial cell. Using this method, the complex permittivity of a number of liquids and a Maltese soil known as Bajjad soil have been extracted by measurements using a short terminated coaxial transmission line sample holder. The proposed novel inversion method is mainly based on the reflection coefficient of the test material. The measured results of the complex permittivity of liquid dielectrics such as ethanol, methanol, and TX100 are validated and compared with previously published data obtained from measurements made by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) using a two-port measurement setup made with the same commercial coaxial transmission line sample holder used in the one-port setup. Since the technique allows broadband measurements, it has been used to characterise the soil dielectric spectrum in the frequency range of 1-3 GHz, which is also compared with results from a two-port setup of the same coaxial line. The experimental results are a validation of the proposed approach for different types of materials.

Hybrid Intelligent Model for Estimating the Cost of Huizhou Replica Traditional Vernacular Dwellings

Amidst the backdrop of rural revitalization and cultural renaissance, there is a surge in the construction demand for replica traditional vernacular dwellings. Traditional cost estimation methods struggle to meet the need for rapid and precise estimation due to the complexity inherent in their construction. To address this challenge, this study aims to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of cost estimation by innovatively developing an Adaptive Self-Explanatory Convolutional Neural Network (ASCNN) model, tailored to meet the specific cost estimation needs of replica traditional vernacular dwellings in the Huizhou region. The ASCNN model employs a Random Forest model to filter key features, inputs these into the CNN for cost estimation, and utilizes Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to optimize parameters, thereby improving predictive accuracy. The decision-making process of the model is thoroughly interpreted through SHAP value analysis, ensuring credibility and transparency. During the construction of the ASCNN model, this study collected and analyzed bidding control price data from 98 replica traditional vernacular dwellings. The empirical results demonstrate that the ASCNN model exhibits outstanding predictive performance on the test set, with a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 9828.06 yuan, a Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) of 0.6%, and a Coefficient of Determination (R2) as high as 0.989, confirming the model’s high predictive accuracy and strong generalization capability. Through SHAP value analysis, this study further identifies key factors such as floor plan layout, roof area, and column material coefficient that are central to cost prediction. The ASCNN model proposed in this study not only significantly improves the accuracy of cost estimation for Huizhou replica traditional vernacular dwellings, but also enhances its transparency and credibility through model interpretation methods, providing a reliable basis for related investment decisions. The findings of this study also offer valuable references and insights for rapid and precise cost estimation of replica buildings in other regions worldwide.

Assessment of shielding efficiency of highly energetic electromagnetic radiation for lead-free cuprate-class material: Effect of MnFe2O4 ratios

In this work, efficient lead-free cuprate-based shielding materials mixed with different ratios (x = 0.1–2 wt%) of magnetic MnFe2O4 powder against nuclear radiation were proposed. The samples were prepared by using a mixture of raw materials of oxides for the preparation of the host cuprate Y1Ba2Cu3Oy materials and a mixture of nitrates in the presence of solvent for the formation of magnetic MnFe2O4 powder additive. The phase, crystalline structure, and composition were examined by X-ray diffraction. The main Y1Ba2Cu3Oy phase revealed good crystallinity and orthorhombic structure. As the ratio of magnetic MnFe2O4 powder additive increases, the orthorhombicity decreases. Gamma shielding performance was analyzed by using MNCP5 code. The analyses indicate that the addition of magnetic powder has an influence on the shielding performance of cuprate-class material. The radiation shielding performance of prepared materials is nearly the same with the low ratios of MnFe2O4 (i.e. x = 0.1 and 0.5 wt%). Yet, with further increasing the amount of MnFe2O4 beyond x = 0.5 wt%, a considerable detraction of shielding parameters was noticed, as estimated by the Monte Carlo simulation (MCNP-5 code). The linear attenuation coefficient of cuprate-class materials decreased by 19.6 %, 33.6 %, 19.3 %, and 19.7 %, respectively at 0.015 MeV, 0.1 MeV, 0.662 MeV, and 15 MeV when the MnFe2O4 concentration increased between 0.1 and 2 wt%.

Prediction of wear of short glass fiber reinforced polyamide 66 composite sprocket

The wear of a polymer composite sprocket primarily depends on contact pressure and sliding velocity that vary significantly during service. The sliding distance and contact pressure at the sprocket/roller interface were estimated for a pristine polymer composite sprocket engaged with a standard and a 3% extended steel chain by employing the explicit finite element method. A set of experiments was executed to find the friction and wear coefficients of sprocket material using polyamide 66 composite pins and standard steel disc at sliding speeds of 1, 2, and 3 m/s and normal loads of 10, 20, 30, and 40 N. The wear depth is estimated after getting friction and wear coefficients experimentally, and contact pressure and sliding distance numerically. Archard wear model was executed using the UMESHMOTION subroutine with the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian technique in ABAQUS. The peak contact pressure on the sprocket is increased approximately by 1.5 times as the chain elongates from 0% to 3%. A pristine sprocket engaging a 3% extended chain after one lakh cycles experienced an approximate wear depth of 90 µm.

A study of soft and hard impact effects in single-particle impact dampers

Single-particle impact dampers (SPIDs) are simple, yet impactful devices that mitigate vibrations in various applications such as high-rise structures, machinery, and satellites. However, the high-intensity impact forces transmitted to the host structure pose a risk to older and vulnerable structures. Therefore, this study investigates the performance of SPIDs with soft impacts, employing viscoelastic materials to minimize the impact forces and noise levels without degrading the damping performance. Four different materials (rubber, ethylene-vinyl acetate, acrylic and poly-urethane foams) exhibiting different viscoelastic properties are studied and compared with hard impact. An approximate Voigt model for the stiffness and damping coefficient of viscoelastic material is used to conduct numerical simulations and to evaluate the damping performance of SPIDs. Dynamic mechanical analyser (DMA) tests are conducted to determine the dynamic properties of viscoelastic materials. An experimental rig which includes a single-degree-of-freedom host structure, and a prototype SPID is designed and manufactured. Experiments are conducted to determine the damping performance, impact force, and noise level with soft impacts and the results are compared with hard impacts. The results reveal a 40% reduction in vibration amplitude at resonance frequency, an impressive 96% reduction in impact force at resonance, an 11.55 dB reduction in the noise level using poly-urethane foam (softest impact) compared to steel (hard impact). Although viscoelastic materials may not be suitable in harsh environmental conditions, this study demonstrates that introducing a viscoelastic material in SPID can resolve its major drawbacks such as impact forces and noise leading to a simple, cost-effective, and safe SPID.

Nonlinear dynamic response of a sandwich plate with negative Poisson’s ratio honeycomb-core layer under low-velocity collision impact

In this paper, a nonlinear analytical model is presented for the low-velocity collision impact of a sandwich plate with auxetic honeycomb-core layer. The auxetic feature of the honeycomb material is realized by mathematically expressing the effective material coefficients in terms of material property and cellular geometric parameters through a homogenization method. The higher order shear deformation theory, the von Kármán nonlinearity theory, and a modified Hertz contact law which accounts for the contact pressure distribution and indentation effect, are employed to establish the kinematic relations. The Newmark time integration scheme in conjunction with the direct iterative method is utilized to establish a solution procedure for the nonlinear dynamic governing equation. The verification of the presented model with the data in published literatures is carried out, followed by a series of numerical analyses for influences of cellular geometric features and impactor’s initial conditions (such as impactor’s initial velocity, mass, and nose curvature radius) on the nonlinear dynamic response. The results of numerical analyses show that the geometric features of the unit cell in the honeycomb-core and impactor’s initial conditions can cause significant influences on the nonlinear collision impact behaviors of the system.

On the effect of material density in dimensional evaluations by X-ray computed tomography of metal-polymer multi-material parts

An important aspect to consider in the evaluation of parts and assemblies by X-ray computed tomography (XCT) is the attenuation coefficient of the different materials involved, which are directly related to their density; depending on this coefficient, the X-ray penetration varies and, therefore, varies the contrast between different materials and with the background. This becomes more critical in those assemblies in which materials are characterized by a high difference in density, where the lighter material could be difficult to be characterised. In this paper, the effect of the presence of metals in the dimensional evaluation of polymeric geometries (having lower density than the metal parts) is studied, to evaluate the errors caused in dimensional measurements of different geometries and surface texture characterization. Based on a common geometry, four scenarios have been experimentally tested with variations of metal amount, in which macro geometries (precision spheres made by different polymers) and micro geometries (inclined ramps manufactured by fused deposition modelling (FDM)) have been characterised. Results show errors in the surface determination of the polymeric features directly related to the presence of metal: a high amount of steel makes significantly difficult to accurately determine the interface between background and material due to the noise and artifacts created, while aluminium has less influence on the irregularities of the features extracted. This effect is more evident for polymers with lower density due to the higher difference. Numerically, most affected parameters are those sensible to variations in surface determination, such as spheres’ form error and ramps’ maximum surface texture (Sz), while more solid features as spheres’ diameters, distances and ramps’ average surface texture (Sa and Sq) remain more stable. In conclusion and to sum up, it has been found that the quantity of metal present in assemblies made of polymeric and metallic materials is correlated with distortions in the dimensional evaluation of polymeric features by XCT.

Thermal radiation characteristic parameters of biomass mixed feedstock for concentrating solar gasification reaction

Solar energy and biomass are both important renewable energy, and the studies on them contribute to current goal of global carbon neutral. The solar gasification process directly employs solar radiation to drive the conversion from biomass to syngas via endothermic gasification reactions. This process relies on the biomass feedstock absorbing incident solar irradiation to sustain these reactions. The thermal radiation characteristics of biomass materials, such as spectral emissivity and absorptivity, determine its capacity for solar energy absorption versus losses from self-emission. Thus, these parameters are critical inputs for accurate thermal-balance modeling of the solar reactor. In this study, the reflectance of 9 biomass samples were experimentally measured in the main solar spectrum range of 200–2500 nm. Based on measurement results, the refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k) of each biomass materials are obtained via Kramers-Kronig relations. Besides, the dielectric function of the 9 biomass samples are also modeled using a 5-th Lorentz oscillator model and the model parameters are determined. The results indicate that the 5-th Lorentz oscillator model adequately characterizes the thermal radiation properties of diverse biomass feedstocks over the measured spectrum. This work contributes important spectral property data to enable accurate modeling and optimization of solar thermochemical conversion based on biomass gasification processes.

A comprehensive sliding wear prediction method for planetary roller screw mechanism

The thread-pairs wear has a significant role in the transmission accuracy, operational stability and service life of planetary roller screw mechanism (PRSM). Nevertheless, the previous literatures still lack the investigation on the wear evolution of roller, nut and screw. Hence, an accumulative wear depth (AWD) prediction model is proposed for PRSM with reciprocating motion. The presented model is validated by the measured wear phenomena of thread pairs and the experimental results in the literature. The equivalent sliding wear experiment of PRSM is designed and the sliding wear coefficient of PRSM material is obtained by the equivalent sliding wear experiment. Considering the thread profile error caused by AWD of roller, nut and screw, the load distribution (LD) and sliding velocities on screw-roller (SR) and nut-roller (NR) sides are calculated. More importantly, the interactions between the AWD, LD and sliding velocity are investigated. Furthermore, the effects of axial load on the AWD, sliding velocities in contact regions and load distribution coefficient are analyzed.

Mechanical Failure of Core-Shell Cathode Particles: The Effects of Concentration-Dependent Material Properties and Phase Field Fracture Modelling

The use of core-shell cathode particles in lithium-ion batteries is an attractive approach to enhancing energy density whilst retaining lifetime, through reducing undesired reactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface and limiting the volume change of the electrode particles. However, mechanical failure through the fracture and debonding of the core-shell interface is a major challenge. In this work, we employ a coupled finite-element model to predict and mitigate the mechanical failure of core-shell cathode structures, taking as example a particle of NMC811 (core) coated with NMC111 (shell). In particular, we focus on two aspects:The first one involves the assumptions of material properties as inputs of the model. The material properties are often considered constant by battery modelling researchers, yet these parameters can vary significantly during charge/discharge. For example, experiments have unveiled a three-orders-of-magnitude drop in the diffusion coefficient of NMC materials during discharge [1]. Here, we incorporate material properties obtained from experimental data, including concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient obtained from GITT measurement and partial molar volume derived from in situ X-ray diffraction data. Our results indicate that when assuming a concentration-dependent partial molar volume, the maximum values of tensile hoop stress in the shell are nearly three times lower than those predicted with constant average properties, diminishing the likelihood of fracture.When accounting for concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient, large concentration gradient is observed near the outer surface of the core due to reduced lithium mobility at high states of lithiation, hindering full electrode capacity utilisation. The significant concentration gradient and capacity underutilisation align with direct observations from experiments [2]. Notably, these phenomena cannot be captured in modelling if assuming constant diffusion coefficient. These findings offer new perspectives on the performance and design of core-shell electrode particles. Safe design maps in terms of core size and shell thickness to mitigate fracture and debonding are obtained.The second focus of this work is the utilisation of phase field fracture model in predicting cracking behaviours within the core-shell particle. Phase field modelling provides a continuous representation of cracks, enabling the tracking of complex cracking patterns [3]. We predict cracking behaviors caused by volume changes during charge/discharge, as well as inaccessible capacity and newly created active surface area caused by cracking. Our multiphyics model can hopefully act as a catalyst, accelerating the development process of the core-shell structured cathode particles and shortening the time to market of advanced batteries with extended lifetime.

Determination of Electrochemically Active Surface Area in All-Solid-State Batteries

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) are currently receiving much attention as one of the most promising next-generation rechargeable battery systems due to their promise of high energy density and high safety. Despite many efforts to commercialize ASSBs, however, there are still many unresolved technical challenges. Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the interface between the cathode and electrolyte in ASSBs exhibits a complex degradation pattern that combines chemical and mechanical degradations. In particular, the high Ni content cathode materials in ASSBs are commonly known to suffer from significant additional degradation mechanism, e.g., volume expansion/contraction due to H2-H3 phase transitions at high voltages, resulting in particle cracking. This degradation of the integrity of the active material leads to a reduction in electrochemically active surface area (active area afterward) due to loss of contact between the active material and solid electrolyte, slow diffusion rate of lithium in the active material, and isolation of the active material. These issues are recognized as major contributors to cell performance degradation. Among these issues, the changes in the active area have a decisive impact on the rate of redox reactions that are key to battery charging and discharging kinetics, so accurate determination of the active area is crucial for the diagnosis and improvement of batteries. In the electrochemical analysis of ASSBs, the poor contact between the solid electrolyte and the active material, or the change of the contact properties during the battery operation, should be a very important consideration. Especially when determining kinetic factors such as charge transfer resistance and chemical diffusion coefficient of cathode material by electrochemical methods, the models we usually use include the electrode surface area value as an important variable, so the accurate estimation of the active area is indispensable for obtaining reliable electrochemical properties. Unlike typical LIBs, in ASSBs the active material/electrolyte interface contact properties change relatively significantly during repeated cycling, so devising a reliable technique to analyze the active area of active materials in ASSBs is very crucial for the research and development of ASSBs. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are still very few studies on this.In this study, we propose promising methods to measure the contact characteristics between the cathode material and the solid electrolyte in ASSBs, namely the electrochemically active surface area, and discuss their reliability based on intercomparison and literature reports. For this purpose, first, the method for determining the active area of active materials based on galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) reported in conventional LIBs was reviewed. Then, its applicability to ASSBs was explored, and a way to improve the reliability of the analysis was proposed. Specifically, a three-electrode cathode half-cell experiment was conducted to analyze the active area of the Ni-rich cathode. The active area was calculated by comparing the diffusion coefficient measured by EIS with that obtained by GITT. When comparing the active area determined at different voltages, it was observed that the active area varies significantly with voltage most likely due to the volume change caused by the H2-H3 phase transition. The second electrochemical method performed for the determination of the active area of the active material is based on the quantification of the lithium intercalation sites on the cathode surface based on the analysis of the frequency factor in Arrhenius expression. For this purpose, battery at different charge states were kept at high temperatures for long periods of time to induce interfacial degradation. The temperature-dependent charge transfer resistance was then determined by EIS analysis, which was used to interpret the redox (or lithium absorption/desorption) reactions kinetically. The experimental results showed that the redox reaction rate followed exactly the Arrhenius relationship for all the charge states used, but the activation energies and frequency factors changed differently depending on the charge state. In this study, we discuss these results in relation to various phenomena that may occur during high-temperature aging, such as the formation of rock salt structures and cracks on the nickel-rich cathode surface, and try to estimate the change in active area. In this study, the electrochemical analysis methods of the contact characteristics between the cathode and the solid electrolyte in ASSBs will be examined in depth and their reliability will be assessed. In addition, further improvements in active area analysis techniques for active materials in ASSBs will be discussed.

Two-dimensional migration characteristics of contaminant through composite liner with arbitrarily distributed defects

Previous studies indicate that liner defects can significantly accelerate contaminant migration in landfill, shortening the migration time by orders of magnitude. Although the effect of defects upon contaminant migration and barrier capacity of liner system has been investigated based on several theoretical models, they are always limited to one-dimensional scopes. Here a two-dimensional (2-D) model was established for contaminant transport through composite liner to the soil layer, with geomembrane (GM) defects arbitrarily distributed along the horizontal direction, and then Laplace transform, Fourier transform, and boundary transform method were utilized to derive its semi-analytical solution, which was verified by experimental data and numerical results. The obtained solution can take nonuniformly distributed defects into account and demonstrates the 2-D contaminant concentration and flux profiles in the spatiotemporal domain. Computational results of the solution are employed to illustrate the roles of material coefficients and modeling sizes upon the variations of contaminant concentration and flux. Results support that contaminant migration is expedited by the GM defect in landfill, and geosynthetics clay liner can reduce the pollution level caused by GM failure. Moreover, the contaminant flux will not be significantly influenced by the defect positions, which, however, leads to non-negligible impact on concentration profiles.

An optimized multiaxial fatigue life prediction model based on the subcritical plane method

Since a more rigorous requirement is raised for the performance of aero-engine increases, the multiaxial fatigue problem of its components turns out to be increasingly severe. In this study, a multiaxial fatigue life prediction model is developed by using the subcritical plane method, where the effect of non-proportional additional hardening under non-proportional loading is considered by both the deflection angle of the subcritical plane and the combined parameters of strain on the subcritical plane. Moreover, the cyclic strain hardening index in the traditional model is substituted with an additional strengthening material coefficient that is characterized by the static strength of the material, which reduces the difficulty in calibrating the parameters of the multiaxial life model. The effectiveness of the proposed model is validated by comparing the predicted fatigue life with some fatigue test data, and the errors between the predicted and the testing data fall into a factor of two error bands. In general, the proposed multiaxial life prediction model simplifies the calibration of model parameters, and the prediction accuracy is still ensured, which promotes the model to facilitate engineering application.

Enhanced thermoelectric properties of 3D printed Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 by atomic interface engineering

The performance of n-type Bi2Te3 materials prepared by selective laser melting (SLM) 3D printing technology tends to be lower than p-type materials. Herein, a bottom-up interface engineering strategy based on Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is presented to improve the properties of n-type Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 (BTS) materials prepared by SLM. To validate this strategy, a ZnO ultrathin layer was applied to the grain boundaries of BTS, synergistically optimizing carrier/phonon transport. In terms of electrical transport, the energy filtering effect triggered by the constructed ZnO/BTS interface effectively enhances the Seebeck coefficient of the Bi2Te3 material printed by SLM, substantially increasing the power factor. Additionally, the high thermal stability of the ALD-deposited ZnO ultrathin layer effectively suppresses the volatilization of Te in BTS, regulating the carrier concentration. Regarding thermal transport properties, the multiscale defects introduced by the non-equilibrium solidification process during SLM printing cause effective phonon scattering across a wide frequency range, which in turn reduces the thermal conductivity of the material. Atomic-level interface modification in SLM-printed BTS enhanced the ZT value to 1.25. Exploiting this superior thermoelectric performance, a thermoelectric module was constructed. It demonstrated a conversion efficiency of 5.7 % with a temperature difference of 200 K, comparable to the advanced Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric modules. The integration of an ALD interface modification strategy with SLM technology has not only demonstrated potential applications in Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric material development, but also bears significant importance for the accelerated advancement of high-performance thermoelectric materials in other systems.

Determination of the nonlinear thermal expansion coefficient of an epoxy used as an expander and its effects over a Fabry-Perot cavity filled with a polymer

In this work, the nonlinear thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) of epoxy clay is determined by means of monitoring the changes induced in the optical thickness of a Fabry-Perot cavity filled with polymer. Here, the epoxy is used to form a long sleeve that holds all elements that form a multilayer interferometric fiber tip filter. Additionally, it is shown that this sleeve acts as an axial strain actuator to change the thickness of a polymer cavity in the order of a few microns. This allows the filter’s spectral fringe pattern to be tuned by several orders of interference, inducing considerable changes in its free spectral range (FSR). Furthermore, it is shown that this filter design has an additional advantage that makes it possible to determine either the TEC or the thermo-optic coefficient (TOC) of another layer material of the filter by using the same measured spectra. Here, as a proof of principle, experimental results of the TEC of silicon were estimated, showing that they are quite close to what was reported in the literature and, therefore, that these can be used for reference purposes. Finally, it is demonstrated that by considering the determined TEC of the epoxy, the overall filter spectrum can be very well modeled, and its main features can be explained for a wide range of temperatures.

TEMPy: a toolkit for the modeling of weighted tissue equivalent material in diagnostic imaging

Objective. Accurate simulation of human tissues is imperative for advancements in diagnostic imaging, particularly in the fields of dosimetry and image quality evaluation. Developing Tissue Equivalent Materials (TEMs) with radiological characteristics akin to those of human tissues is essential for ensuring the reliability and relevance of imaging studies. This study presents the development of a mathematical model and a new toolkit (TEMPy) for obtaining the best composition of materials that mimic the radiological characteristics of human tissues. The model and the toolkit are described, along with an example showcasing its application to obtain desired TEMs. Approach. The methodology consisted of fitting volume fractions of the components of TEM in order to determine its linear attenuation coefficient as close as possible to the linear attenuation coefficient of the reference material. The fitting procedure adopted a modified Least Square Method including a weight function. This function reflects the contribution of the x-ray spectra in the suitable energy range of interest. TEMPy can also be used to estimate the effective atomic number and electron density of the resulting TEM. Main results. TEMPy was used to obtain the chemical composition of materials equivalent to water and soft tissue, in the energy range used in x-ray imaging (10 −150 keV) and for breast tissue using the energy range (5–40 keV). The maximum relative difference between the linear attenuation coefficients of the developed and reference materials was ±5% in the considered energy ranges. Significance. TEMPy facilitates the formulation of TEMs with radiological properties closely mimicking those of real tissues, aiding in the preparation of physical anthropomorphic or geometric phantoms for various applications. The toolkit is freely available to interested readers.