Initial Thickness Research Articles

Maximum Thinning Rate Prediction of Friction Heat Single-Point Incremental Forming for AZ31B Magnesium Alloy Based on BP Neural Network

The purpose of this project is to build an accurate prediction model for the maximum thinning rate of the truncated cone made of magnesium alloy AZ31B by single-point incremental forming. A truncated cone’s thickness distribution is analyzed using ABAQUS. Orthogonal experiments and supplementary data were performed as training samples within the maximum refinement rate obtained from the finite element (FE) results. Back-propagation (BP) neural network is established by taking into account tool diameter, initial sheet thickness, and forming angle as input responses, and maximum thinning rate as output responses, and nine hidden layers are involved. The results showed that the incidence of process parameters on the maximum thinning rate of the truncated cone is in the order of forming angle, initial thickness of sheet, and diameter of tool from large to small; The correlation coefficient of BP neural network model training [Formula: see text]. The test results and FE results contrast, and the average error rate of the maximum thinning rate is only 0.97%. The results indicate that the model is reliable and accurate for the prediction of incremental forming, and it is a useful reference value.

Structural and electrical investigation of Al/Ti/TiN/Au based N-face n-GaN contact stack

In this work, the structure of Ti/Al/TiN/Au contact layer stack on the N-face of a single-crystal n-GaN substrate is studied after heat treatment at 750 °C. Since TiN is widely regarded as a diffusion barrier in the stack, the formed structures with three different initial TiN thicknesses (15, 60 and 90 nm) in the contact layers are investigated in detail. The primary tool used for the structural investigations was a (scanning) transmission electron microscope ((S)TEM). In all three samples a low resistivity ohmic contact was formed. However, the TiN layer has not completely blocked the diffusion for any of the samples and both Al and Au diffused through the TiN layer at the temperature of 750 °C. As a result of the heat treatment, a complex AlN/TiN/Au2Al/TiN/Au + Al2.67O4 stack was formed on the surface of the GaN substrate. The measurements have not shown the often reported Ti–Al alloy phase in the samples. The formation of the AlN and TiN layers can be explained by the separation of N from GaN creating N vacancies in the GaN substrate which could help the formation of the ohmic behavior.

Quality attributes of traditional food from blends of rice flour and jaggery syrup under different frying conditions

Traditional foods are indigenous to the locality, and there are no standard preparation steps provided. Ariselu is a deep-fat fried product generally made up of rice flour and jaggery syrup. This study revealed the change in quality attributes of fried ariselu under various thicknesses (4 and 6 mm), frying temperature (150, 170 and 190 °C) and frying time (60, 90, 120 and 150 s). A full factorial design was considered and neural network clustering was employed to find the correlation among the responses obtained. Oil content was found to have an inverse relationship with moisture that increases with an increase in frying conditions. The lightness and yellowness values of ariselu decreased from 44.70 to 26.82 and 28.55 to 11.57, respectively. However, the redness value increased during frying due to increased browning reactions. The thermal properties were determined to analyze the changes in conductivity, resistivity, specific heat capacity and diffusivity during the frying of ariselu. The textural attributes of ariselu indicate an increased hardness value with a rise in frying temperature due to moisture loss in ariselu. The results obtained show that an overall acceptability (OAA) of 4.28/5 was achieved at 170 °C for 150 s with a 6 mm initial thickness. This research focuses on the optimum conditions required for frying ariselu with the desired quality attributes that would help the product establish in the commercial market.

A Model generation method and iteration algorithm for optimising fire protection thickness

With temperatures rising above 1000 °C within 5 min, hydrocarbon fire causes rapid strength degradation of structural steel members. It is among the most dangerous hazards, such as boiling liquid expanding vapour explosion (BLEVE) in the oil and gas industry. Intumescent coating as passive protection is widely adopted to prevent the steel structure from material property reduction. However, when optimising fire protection with heat transfer simulation, repetitive modelling work and lacking recalculation principle hinder productivity improvement. This method is developed to generate steel beam models and provides an effective algorithm to optimise coating thickness considering the temperature of a specific region. The main functions of the method include:•Providing section dimensions, initial insulation thickness, target temperature and heating time, temperature allowance and mesh size as variables.•Automatically generating the Abaqus steel beam model under 3-side heating conditions.•Effective iteration algorithm to modify fire protection thickness: test containing 38 Universal beam sections with a 5 °C allowance below target shows that 55.2% were completed within five iterations and 76.3% were completed within eight iterations.

Gas-Liquid Hydrodynamics during Liquid Displacement by Gas in Up-Hill Pipeline

Mobile pipelines are the most efficient and reliable way to transport large quantities of oil over long distances in warfare, rescue and disaster relief. The oil in the pipe must be discharged and recovered when the oil transfer task is completed, usually via gas cap evacuation. Gas cap evacuation is the main method to evacuate mobile pipelines. During evacuation, due to the influence of topography, working conditions and gravitational forces, the oil in an up-hill pipeline is gradually deposited in the low-lying part of the pipeline to form a liquid, resulting in the incomplete emptying of the pipeline which directly affects the recovery efficiency of the pipeline. Focusing on the analysis of the gas carrying oil flow process in an up-hill pipeline during the evacuation of gas displacing oil in the mobile pipeline, the tail and head of the liquid accumulation were analyzed, and the liquid accumulation flow model was established based on the gas–liquid two-phase stratified flow theory. This model was used to analyze the flow law of the accumulated liquid under different pipe inclination angles, initial accumulation thicknesses and pipe diameters. It was found that the stagnant oil in the pipeline is carried by the gas flow into the upward tilting pipeline due to the influence of the axial gravity force of the pipeline. The gas flow can be divided into three phases: the initial discharge stage, the oscillation stage and the final discharge (reflux) stage.

Two layer film flow on an unsteady stretching cylinder

Most of the earlier research works related to the thin film flow over a stretching cylinder are primarily limited to the boundary layer flow of a single liquid. Whereas, multilayer film coating is commonly used to coat microelectronic chips, circuits, etc. This scenario motivated us to investigate the thin double-layer liquid film development over a stretching cylinder. In the present work, the above limitations of earlier models have been removed to investigate the two-layer film flow over a stretching cylinder by considering a full set of momentum equations. The governing set of equations is transformed into a system of nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) by applying appropriate similarity transformation. The analytical solutions are obtained by using the asymptotic analysis method for smaller values of Reynolds number (i.e. Re1<<1). Whereas numerical solutions are obtained by implicit finite difference method for smaller as well as moderate values of Re1. It is found that the film thinning rate enhanced for both the liquid layers with raising values of the cylinder’s radius (A) and density ratio (m). It is further seen that both the liquid layers thin faster with a decreasing initial thickness ratio of both liquid layers (δ). It is also observed that the variation of film height for the first layer is very small in comparison to the second layer for increasing values of viscosity ratio parameter (n). The film height for both the liquid layers decreases very fast for a smaller Reynolds number (Re1) at the initial time but a reverse trend is noticed at large time.

Formation of ultra-thin nickel silicide on SiO2 using Si/Ni/Si structures for oxidation control

We have demonstrated the formation of ultrathin Ni silicide on SiO2 by annealing Si/Ni/Si structures and have systematically evaluated the impacts of the Si layer thickness on oxidation, surface roughening and the silicidation reaction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses revealed that suppression of Ni oxidation due to the top Si layer makes it possible to form an ultrathin Ni silicide layer with a thickness of around 2 nm. Then, it turned out that the composition ratio of Ni and Si depends on not only the annealing temperature but also the initial thickness ratio of the top and bottom Si layers. Furthermore, this work clarified that the ultra-thin top Si layer has a large impact on the surface morphology during Ni silicide formation with diffusion and preferential oxidation.

Estimation of solar receiver corrosion conditions during operation to aid in the design of receiver-corrosion lab tests

Solar power tower plants widely rely on molten nitrite salt as heat transfer fluid and storage media. However, its corrosiveness endangers several metallic components, with central receivers being one of the most compromised. Great efforts are being made to establish molten salt corrosion in different metals. Recently, the importance of the amount of salt used in these experiments has been highlighted. Yet, most tests disregard the hot-receiver-surface/salt ratio that would represent the receiver operation conditions. Commonly, larger metal surfaces are employed, accelerating molten salt thermal decomposition kinetics. Hence, this study seeks to develop basic design conditions for experimental corrosion tests to realistically mimic receiver-tube corrosion. Consequently, the high-temperature operation of two receiver designs, resembling those of Crescent Dunes and Gemasolar plants, with their tubes manufactured in HA230, is analysed. The yearly salt degradation in these plants is found to be nearly negligible due to the large salt volume stored and the relatively limited receiver surface above concerning temperatures, with the whole salt volume being exposed to it for around 20 min during a 25-year operation for large receivers. Moreover, the hot-metal-surface/solar-salt ratio ranges from 5 to 7 mm2/kg, depending on the receiver design, which should be preserved in a corrosion experiment. Metal loss is also estimated: less than 7 % of the receiver would lose at least 50 % of the initial tube thickness. Still, lower metal loss rates are expected since coefficients from static-isothermal tests were employed for the calculation, which also disregarded the metal surface/salt proportion, leading to an overestimation.

ZnO Matrices as a Platform for Tunable Localized Surface Plasmon Resonances of Silver Nanoparticles

In this study, the localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in ZnO dielectric matrices were studied. Initially, continuous Ag thin films were deposited on Corning glass substrates via magnetron sputtering, followed by post annealing, resulting in the formation of self-assembled nanoparticles. In some cases, a heated substrate holder was employed to induce NP formation during the deposition. The morphology of nanoparticles was studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) probed the LSPRs. Subsequently, a 70 nm thick ZnO layer was deposited on top of the Ag thin films. For the Ag films, LSPR characteristics were found to depend on the initial film thickness. The ZnO capping layer induced an intense red shift, suggesting its potential as a mechanism for tailoring LSPRs. Lastly, theoretical calculations with the rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) method were carried out for comparison with the experimental results.

Initial thickness of the crescent may not be a reliable predictor of complications in type A intramural haematoma.

This study aimed to investigate changes in haematoma thickness during the early period and their association with disease progression in patients who received initial medical treatment for type A intramural haematoma (IMH). Medical records and serial computed tomography angiography (CTA) images of patients who did not undergo emergency aortic repair for type A IMH upon presentation were retrospectively reviewed. The haematoma remodelling rate was determined using the following equation: thicknessofthehaematomaonthefirstCTA(mm)-thicknessofthehaematomaonthesecondCTA(mm)timebetweenthefirstandsecondCTAs(h). Among the 40 patients included in this study, 38 were indicated for initial watch-and-wait strategy, whereas 2 were indicated for emergency aortic repair but declined it. During hospitalization, 10 patients developed disease progression, with 2 in-hospital mortality cases. Analysis of the haematoma remodelling rate in 39 patients revealed that such a rate was significantly associated with the reciprocal of the time from onset. Analysis of all 70 CTA examinations performed within 24 h after the onset of IMH showed that haematoma thickness was significantly associated with the logarithm of the time from onset. Initial regression of the haematoma was not necessarily associated with avoidance of disease progression. In type A IMH, the thickness of the haematoma in the ascending aorta tended to decrease in the very early period; however, prompt regression of the haematoma was not necessarily associated with avoidance of disease progression.

MODELING AND SIMULATIONS OF WET POROUS MEDIUM CONVECTIVE DRYING

In the convective drying of a wet porous medium by hot air, the medium surface exposed to the air fluid may experience three stages, namely the fully wet, partly wet, and fully dry stages. At the fully wet stage, the medium surface is fully covered by a water film, with the convective moisture transfer taking place all over the medium surface; at the partly wet stage, the medium surface is partly covered by water film, with the convective moisture transfer occurring only at the wet surface where free water is present. In this research, a theoretical model is presented to simulate the convective drying of a wet porous medium, and experiments on hot-air convective drying of a wet porous sand layer are carried out to investigate the sand-layer temperature and water content variations during the drying, in which the sand layer thickness is 4 mm, the initial water-film thickness is 0.4 mm, and the hot-air temperatures are 45, 60, and 75&amp;deg;C, respectively. Inverse calculations are conducted to get some insight into the water-film coverage function based on the experimental data, which are necessary for quantitatively evaluating the effective moisture transfer surface area when calculating the convective moisture transfer at the partly wet stage. By combining the coverage function with the wet porous medium drying model, a comprehensive model is obtained. Calculations are implemented to simulate the convective drying of the wet porous sand layer, and the effects of the two constants included in that function on the wet sand-layer drying characteristics are discussed. The calculation results are compared with the experimental data; they agree very well, supporting the effectiveness of the current model in simulating the sand-layer convective drying process.

Experimental investigations on the collapse of spiral-stiffened cylindrical shells under external hydrostatic pressure

This paper presents a comprehensive experimental investigation into the collapse behavior of spiral stiffened cylindrical shells under external hydrostatic pressure. Spiral stiffened cylindrical shells with two different pitches and cylindrical shells were designed and fabricated. The fabricated specimens were divided into three groups. Each group has two identical specimens. Test specimens were welded from stainless steel. The shell was formed by cold bending, and the spiral ribs were welded to the surface of the shell to form a spiral stiffened cylindrical shell. Measurements of initial geometric imperfections and shell thickness were performed on the fabricated specimens to verify the accuracy of fabricating. Subsequently, the specimens were placed in a pressure chamber and pressurized until collapsed to obtain the ultimate collapse pressure and collapse modes. In addition, a uniaxial tensile test was conducted on the shell material to obtain its material properties. Experimental results indicated that the fabricated specimens had excellent repeatability and reasonable precision. The presence of a spiral rib effectively boosted the ultimate collapse pressure of the cylindrical shell with a more pronounced strengthening effect observed as the rib density increased.

Patterns of Alluviation in Mixed Bedrock‐Alluvial Channels: 2. Controls on the Formation of Alluvial Patches

AbstractUnderstanding the development and spatial distribution of alluvial patches in mixed bedrock‐alluvial rivers is necessary to predict the mechanisms of the interactions between sediment transport, alluvial cover, and bedrock erosion. This study aims to analyze bedrock alluviation patterns using a 2D morphodynamic model, and to use the model results to better understand the mechanisms responsible for alluvial patterns observed experimentally. A series of simulations are conducted to explore how alluvial patterns in mixed bedrock‐alluvial channels form and evolve for different channel slopes and antecedent sediment layer thicknesses. In initially bare bedrock low‐slope channels, sediment cover increases with increasing sediment supply because areas of Froude‐subcritical flow enable sediment deposition, while in steep‐slope channels the flow remains fully supercritical and the model predicts so‐called runaway alluviation. For channels initially covered with sediment, the model predicts a slope‐dependent sediment supply threshold above which sediment cover increases with increasing sediment supply, and below which the bedrock becomes fully exposed. For a given sediment supply, the fraction of bedrock exposure and average alluvial thickness converge toward the equilibrium value regardless of the initial cover thickness as long as it exceeds a minimum threshold. Steep channels are able to maintain a continuous strip of sediment under sub‐capacity sediment supply conditions by achieving a balance between increased form drag as bedforms develop and reduced surface roughness as the portion of alluvial cover decreases. In lower‐slope channels, alluvial patches are distributed sporadically in regions of the subcritical flow.

A comparative analysis of predictive models for estimating the formability of stamped titanium bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

The microchannels on the bipolar plates (BPPs) of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) have various functions. Increasing the microchannel depth leads to an increase in the efficiency of the fuel cell. In this paper, metallic BPPs of the PEMFC made of commercial pure titanium (CP-Ti) with an initial thickness of 0.1 mm are manufactured using the stamping process. First, after performing the process using experimental tests and finite elements (FE) simulation, the accuracy of the numerical results is confirmed. In the following, using the FE model and considering process parameters including die clearance, forming speed, and sheet/die friction coefficient, a set of experiments is implemented using the response surface method (RSM). The results of the filling rate are obtained from the experiments and a regression model is established to predict the filling rate of the microchannel. Then, four meta-heuristics methods including artificial bee colony optimization (ABCO), genetic algorithm (GA), artificial neural network (ANN), and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) are used to estimate the formability of the CP-Ti BPPs. According to the results, the ANFIS model with an error of 0.0062 × 10−3 % compared to experiments is more reliable to predict the filling rate in the stamping of the CP-Ti BPPs.

Effects of the Number of Layers and Thickness Ratio on the Impact Fracture Behavior of AA6061/AA7075 Laminated Metal Composites

The initial thickness ratio and number of layers of dissimilar metal components greatly influence the impact performance of laminated metal composites. In this paper, positive and lateral impact tests of 5-layer composite sheets with thickness ratios of 3:1, 1.35:1, and 1:2 and 80-layer composite sheets prepared by ARB (accumulative roll bonding) were conducted to study the influences of the thickness ratio and layer number on the impact fracture behavior of composite sheets. The results showed that the higher the proportion of AA7075, the higher the bending strength of the AA6061/AA7075 laminated composite sheet; compared with the 5-layer composite sheet, the side impact performance of the 80-layer composite sheet is obviously improved, and its side impact strength, energy absorbed in the crack initiation stage, and crack propagation stage are better than those of the 5-layer composite sheet. In addition, the toughening mechanism of the 80-layer composite sheet is mainly that the increase in the number of layers makes the cracks deflect more frequently. Under the rapid impact load, the impact energy absorbed by the sample increases with the increase in the number of layers.

(Invited) Formation and Characterization of Fe-Silicide Nanodots for Optoelectronic Application

Light emission from group-IV based nanostructures has been attracting much attention in the field of Si-based photonics because of its potential to combine photonic processing with electronic processing on a single chip [1]. Among various Fe-silicides, semiconducting β-FeSi2 shows light emission in the near-infrared region [2, 3] and is one of promising materials in optoelectronic application from viewpoints of tuning emission energy and improving luminous efficiency by means of quantized structures. In this work, we focus on low temperature formation of β-FeSi2 nanodots (NDs) over ~1011 cm-2 in areal density on SiO2 and the characterization of light emission properties of β–FeSi2 NDs.After conventional wet-chemical cleaning steps of p-type Si(100) substrates, a ~300-nm-thick SiO2 layer was grown at 1000°C in dry O2 and followed by dipping shortly in a dilute HF solution to make uniform surface termination with Si-OH bonds. After that, Fe films in the thickness range from 1.0 to 3.0 nm were formed on the OH-terminate SiO2 layer by electron beam evaporation without any extra heating. And then, the Fe–films were exposed to remote plasma of pure H2 (H2-RP) at 400°C to form highly-dense Fe-NDs [4]. Subsequently, so-prepared Fe-NDs were exposed to pure SiH4 at 400°C while controlling the amount of SiH4 exposure by duration and pressure.AFM images taken after exposure of Fe-films to H2-RP confirm the high-density formation of well-defined NDs. In the cases of H2-RP exposure of 1.3-nm-thick and 3.0-nm-thick Fe-films, the areal dot densities as high as ~1.1 × 1011 and ~1.3 × 1011 cm−2 were obtained, respectively, in which the average dot-heights of self-assembled Fe-NDs were determined to be ~5.3 and ~10.9 nm, respectively, by fitting a log-normal function to each measured size distribution. Notice that AFM images taken after SiH4 exposure show almost no change in the areal dot density while a slight increase in the average dot height. From cross-sectional transmission electron microscope images, we have also verified the formation of distorted-spherical shape NDs with a lattice spacing of ~0.18 nm associated with β-FeSi2. And the result is well consistent with the chemical composition of NDs after SiH4 exposure as evaluated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition, with 976 nm light excitation using a semiconductor laser, the NDs after the SiH4 exposure show stable photoluminescence (PL) signals in the energy region from ~0.7 to ~0.9 eV even at room temperature. On the other hand, no PL signals were detected from the NDs before the SiH4 exposure and after Ar anneal at 400°C. Also, when the size of the Fe-silicide NDs was increased from ~5.3 to ~10.9 nm in average dot height by increasing the initial Fe-film thickness, a distinct red-shift in PL was clearly observed. Thus, the observed PL can be interpreted in terms of radiative recombination of photogenerated carriers through quantized states of β-FeSi2 NDs. These results indicate that SiH4 exposure to Fe-NDs formed on SiO2 is a very promising technique for the low-temperature fabrication of luminescent FeSi2 NDs.AcknowledgementThis work was supported in part by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) 21H04559 of MEXT Japan, and the Cooperative Research Project Program of the Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University.

Solid and Liquid State Dewetting of Thin Silicon Films Sandwiched between Two Silicon Carbide Substrates

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a very promising material for power electronics thanks to its wide band gap and high thermal conductivity. Stacking of SiC substrates of different crystalline quality and/or doping levels through wafer bonding is of particular interest for applications. Although a direct SiC/SiC bonding may result in an unstable interface, a layer of intermediate material playing a role of a “glue” can be sandwiched between the SiC substrates to ensure their good attachment. However, the processing of the power electronics devices at a high temperature may degrade the properties of this material which evolution under high temperature annealing must be studied in advance.In this work, we exploited the possibility to use silicon (Si) as a bonding material. We studied the structure evolution of a nanometer-thick polycrystalline Si layer sandwiched between two monocrystalline SiC substrates with a high temperature annealing. We focused our attention on understanding the impact of as-bonded Si layer thickness and the temperature of annealing on the eventual Si layer morphology. Tests were conducted for Si films of as-bonded thickness of 8 nm, 20 nm and 40 nm at temperatures ranging from 950°C to 1400°C, i.e. below Si melting temperature of 1414°C, and above it up to 1700°C. The experiments were realized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution X-ray diffraction techniques. Cross-sectional TEM images were used to describe the structure and morphology of the interface. SEM was used to observe the inner surface of one of the SiC substrates once the other was removed by a cleavage. X-ray measurements were carried out to determine Si film thickness and texture as well as the strain in Si and SiC.We show that annealing at temperatures ranging from 950°C to 1400°C results in pitting, i.e. creation of voids, at the Si/SiC interfaces which are observed for any studied as-bonded thickness of a Si layer. We attribute this effect to a solid state dewetting of Si from SiC. This dewetting effect evolves into complete piercing of the silicon film and formation of cylindrical voids within the Si layer which grow in diameter with annealing temperature. We also observe a thickening of the silicon layer. The driving force for a solid state dewetting will be discussed in terms of SiC/Si interface energy, vacancies precipitation and Si atoms diffusion.When annealed to relatively higher temperatures allowing for Si melting followed by its solidification, we put into evidence the formation of step bunching on the internal surfaces of both SiC substrates. Regarding Si, it is concentrated along the SiC steps. The mechanism of the reconstruction of SiC internal surfaces resulting in the creation of step bunching will be discussed in relation to Si liquid state dewetting, carbon atoms dissolution, recondensation and migration within liquid Si.The effect of as-bonded silicon film thickness on the Si dewetting process is not pronounced after annealing at 950°C: all samples contain pits of a similar size and density. When the annealing temperature is slightly increased above 1000°C, the pits in the Si films of a lower initial thickness transform into cylindrical voids piercing the layers. The thicker layers contain both pits and cylindrical voids. At a high enough temperature of 1400°C only cylindrical voids were observed in all samples. The thicker layers present the lowest densities of voids.For the annealing at temperatures higher than 1400°C, the as-bonded thickness of a Si layer had a direct impact on the height of the steps formed on the internal surfaces of the SiC substrates. The eventual steps were higher the thicker the Si layer was used for bonding.The role of the diffusion and interaction of Si and C atoms and vacancies during annealing will be discussed in relation to the dynamics of solid and liquid state Si dewetting, size and density of pits and cylindrical voids and eventual Si layer morphology.Figure 1, on the left, SEM images showing the evolution of Si solid state dewetting with annealing temperature, from pitting to the formation of cylindrical voids. On the right, SEM and cross-sectional TEM images showing the step bunching on the SiC internal surfaces and the Si accumulation at the steps obtained after Si liquid state dewetting. Figure 1

Metallic Nanoalloys on Vertical GaAs Nanowires: Growth Mechanisms and Shape Control of Ni-GaAs Compounds.

GaAs nanowires are promising candidates for emerging devices in a broad field of applications (e.g., nanoelectronics, photodetection, or photoconversion). These nanostructures benefit greatly from a vertical integration, as it allows for the exhibition of the entire nanowire surface. However, one of the main challenges related to vertical integration is the conception of an efficient method to create low resistive contacts at nanoscale without degrading the device performance. In this article, we propose a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible approach to form alloyed contacts at the extremities of vertical GaAs nanowires. Ni-based and Pd-based alloys on different vertical GaAs nanostructures have been characterized by structural and chemical analyses to identify the phase and to study the growth mechanisms involved at the nanoscale. It is shown that the formation of the Ni3GaAs alloy on top of nanowires following the epitaxial relation Ni3GaAs(0001)∥GaAs(111) leads to a pyramidal shape with four faces. Finally, guidelines are presented to tune the shape of this alloy by varying the initial metal thickness and nanowire diameters. It will facilitate the fabrication of a nanoalloy structure with tailored shape characteristics to precisely align with a designated application.

Corrosion evolution and mechanical property deterioration of Q355NH weathering steel in long-term neutral salt spray environment

To investigate the morphology and mechanical behavior of Q355NH steel after long-term corrosion, neutral salt spray accelerated test were conducted for up to 180 days, with Q355 steel as the control group. By macro and micro observations, the evolution of rust layers and cracking mechanisms was elucidated. The corrosion thickness loss was divided into depth of uniform corrosion and pitting depth, and their relationships with corrosion time were established, respectively. Corrosion kinetic equations were also established, revealing no significant differences between two types of steel when the corrosion period was less than 65 days. However, as the corrosion period exceeded the critical time, Q355NH steel gradually exhibited better corrosion resistance. Additionally, corrosion rate for Q355NH and Q355 steel in various environments were compared, the average thickness loss rate of Q355 steel was revealed higher in intermittent neutral salt spray than continuous neutral salt spray. However, Q355NH steel exhibited the opposite trend due to the formation of the protective rust layer. Degradation equations were developed for the relationships between strengths, strains and mass loss rate in both Q355NH and Q355 steel, and constitutive models were also established for these corroded steels. Furthermore, based on the pitting evolution model, a numerical analysis method for evaluating the mechanical properties of corroded weathering steel was proposed and validated. Through parametric analysis, strength degradation formulas for double-sided non-uniform corrosion were established. It is demonstrated that the pit aspect ratio did not affect the strength. However, the strength significantly decreased when the initial thickness was small. For engineering applications involving uncoated weathering steel, a minimum thickness of 6 mm is recommended, preferably greater than 10 mm.

Microwave deicing properties and carbon emissions assessment of asphalt mixtures containing steel slag towards resource conservation and waste reuse

A large amount of solid waste, such as steel slag (SS), is generated annually. At the same time, the shortage of road construction materials is becoming a concern. In this study, to recycle and reuse SS as a substitute for natural aggregates to achieve resource conservation and sustainable development of roads were conducted. First, the electromagnetic performance of SS was explored to evaluate its wave-absorbing properties. Next, the effect of different SS contents on heating properties, surface temperature, heating uniformity, and ice melting time (IMT) were investigated. Finally, the carbon emissions assessment (CEA) of conventional asphalt mixture (CAM) and steel slag asphalt mixture (SSAM) was compared. Results indicated that SS has ferromagnetic behavior and higher electromagnetic parameters, showing better wave-absorbing properties than limestone. There were three stages during microwave heating (MH): ice melting, moisture emitting, and stabilization. In addition, heating uniformity tends to be poor with the increase of SS, and samples with 100 % content of SS have the highest standard deviation of 21.04 °C and 20.77 °C after 270 s at −10 °C and − 20 °C. Samples containing 50 % SS have the best microwave deicing properties, which can reduce the IMT by 28.57 % to 46.18 % at different initial freezing temperatures and ice thickness compared to CAM. Furthermore, CEA revealed that CAM and SSAM's carbon emissions over road construction's life cycle are similar (around 27,000 kg) and originate mainly from the mixing and raw material extraction phases. However, SSAM leads to better environmental and economic benefits and provides an exemplary resource conservation and waste reuse solution.