In this study, a multifunctional ophthalmic lens material with an electromagnetic shielding effect, high oxygen permeability, and high water content is tested, and its applicability is evaluated. Metal oxide nanoparticles are applied to the ophthalmic lens material for vision correction to shield harmful electromagnetic waves; the pyridine group is used to improve the antibacterial effect; and silicone substituted with urethane and acrylate is employed to increase the oxygen permeability and water content. In addition, multifunctional tinted ophthalmic lens materials are studied using lens materials with an excellent antibacterial effect (2,6-difluoropyridine, 2-fluoro-4-pyridinecarboxylic acid) and functional (UV protection, high wettability) lens materials (2,4-dihydroxy benzophenone, 2-hydroxy-4-(methacryloyloxy)benzophenone). To solve problems such as air bubbles generated during the polymerization process for the manufacturing and turbidity of the lens surface, polymerization conditions in which the defect rate is minimized are determined. The results show that the polymerization temperature and time are most appropriate when they are 110 oC and 40 minutes, respectively. The optimum injection amount of the polymerization solution is 350 ms. The turbid phenomenon that appears in lens processing is improved by 10 to 95% according to the test time and conditions.
In this study, we investigate the recycling of aluminum-based metal matrix composites(AMCs) embedded with SiC particulates. The microstructure of the AMCs is characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The possibility of recycling the composite scrap is attempted from the melted alloy and SiC particulates by re-melting, holding and solidification in crucibles. The recovery percentage of the matrix alloy is calculated after a number of holding times, 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 minutes and for different particulate sizes and weight fractions in the Al matrix. The results show that the recovery percentage of the matrix alloy, as well as the time required for maximum recovery of the matrix, is dependent on the size and weight fraction of SiC particulates. In addition, the percentage recovery increases with particulate size but drops with the particulate fraction in the matrix. The time to reach maximum recovery falls rapidly with an increase in particulate size and fraction.
This study is carried out to evaluate the commercial feasibility of the room temperature and thermal polymerization method as a lens manufacturing method. All samples are found to be transparent after polymerization, thereby indicating that their physical and surface properties are suitable for hydrogel ophthalmic lenses. The optical and physical properties of the lenses are compared. The water content of the samples that are prepared via a room temperature polymerization process decreases with the addition of MMA as compared to the water content of the samples that are prepared via thermal polymerization. When MMA and DMA are used as an additive for improving functionality, the wettability of the lenses increases. By measuring the AFM, the surface roughness is shown to improve more than MMA and DMA. Therefore, it is judged to be an appropriate process for manufacturing hydrogel lenses with high functionality.
This study deals with the effect of microstructure factors on the strain aging properties of API X70 pipeline steels with different microstructure fractions and grain sizes. The grain size and microstructure fraction of the API pipeline steels are analyzed by optical and scanning electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction analysis. Tensile tests before and after 1% pre-strain and thermal aging treatment are conducted to simulate pipe forming and coating processes. All the steels are composed mostly of polygonal ferrite, acicular ferrite, granular bainite, and bainitic ferrite. After 1% pre-strain and thermal aging treatment, the tensile test results reveal that yield strength, tensile strength and yield ratio increase, while uniform elongation decreases with an increasing thermal aging temperature. The increment of yield and tensile strengths are affected by the fraction of bainitic ferrite with high dislocation density because the mobility of dislocations is inhibited by interaction between interstitial atoms and dislocations in bainitic ferrite. On the other hand, the variation of yield ratio and uniform elongation is the smallest in the steel with the largest grain size because of the decrease in the grain boundary area for dislocation pile-ups and the presence of many dislocations inside large grains after 1% pre-strain.
To improve the etch rate of Si3N4 thin film, H2SiF6 is added to increase etching rate by more than two times. SiO3H2 is gradually added to obtain a selectivity of 170: 1 at 600 ppm. Moreover, when SiO3H2 is added, the etching rate of the SiO2 thin film increases in proportion to the radius of the wafer. In Si3N4 thin film, there is no difference in the etching rate according to the position. However, in the SiO2 thin film, the etching rate increases in proportion to the radius. At the center of the wafer, the re-growth phenomenon is confirmed at a specific concentration or above. The difference in etch rates of SiO2 thin films and the reason for regrowth at these positions are interpreted as the result of the flow rate of the chemical solution replaced with fresh solution.
Anti-reflection thin films are fabricated on glass substrates using the screen printing method. Tetra ethyl silicate(TEOS) and methyl tri methoxy silane(MTMS) are used as starting materials and buthyl carbitol acetate(BCA) and buthyl cellusolve(BC) are mixed to improve the viscosity of the solution. Anti-reflection thin films are fabricated according to the number of the screen mesh and the characteristics improve as the mesh size increases. The transmittance and reflectance of the coated thin film using 325 mesh are about 94 % and 0.43 % in the visible wavelength. The thickness and refractive index of the AR thin film are 107 nm and n = 1.26, respectively.
Cordierite composed of an alumina-silica-magnesia compound has a low coefficient of thermal expansion(CTE) and excellent thermal shock resistance. It also has a low dielectric constant and high electrical insulation. However, due to low mechanical strength, it is limited for use in a ceramic heater. In this study, ZrO2 is added to an 80 wt% cordierite-20 wt% mullite composition, and the effect of ZrO2 addition on the mechanical strength and thermal shock resistance is investigated. With an increasing addition of ZrO2, cordierite-mullite formed ZrO2, ZrSiO4 and spinel phases. With sintering conducted at 1400 °C with the addition of 5 wt% ZrO2 to 80 wt% cordierite-20 wt% mullite, the most dense microstructure forms along with an excellent mechanical strength with a 3-point flexural strength of 238MPa. When this composition is quenched in water at ΔT = 400℃ , the 3-point flexural strength is maintained. Moreover, when this composition is cooled from 800℃ to air, the 3-point flexural strength is maintained even after 100 cycles. In addition, the CTE is measured as 3.00 × 10−6·K−1 at 1000℃ . Therefore, 80 wt% cordierite-20 wt% mullite with 5 wt% ZrO2 is considered to be appropriate as material for a ceramic heater.
We investigate the reduction of SnO2 and the generation of syngas(H2, CO) using methane(CH4) and hydrogen(H2) or a mixed gas of methane and hydrogen as a reducing gas. When methane is used as a reducing gas, carbon is formed by the decomposition of methane on the reduced Sn surface, and the amount of generated carbon increases as the amount and time of the supply of methane increases. However, when hydrogen is used as a reducing gas, carbon is not generated. High purity Sn of 99.8 % and a high recovery rate of Sn of 93 % are obtained under all conditions. The effects of reducing gas species and the gas mixing ratio on the purity and recovery of Sn are not significantly different, but hydrogen is somewhat more effective in increasing the purity and recovery rate of Sn than methane. When 1 mole of methane and 1 mole of hydrogen are mixed, a product gas with an H2/CO value of 2, which is known to be most useful as syngas, is obtained.
We develop a purification process of Hg2Br2 raw powders using a physical vapor transport(PVT) process, which is essential for the fabrication of a high performance acousto-optic tunable filter(AOTF) module. Specifically, we characterize and compare three Hg2Br2 powders: Hg2Br2 raw powder, Hg2Br2 powder purified under pumping conditions, and Hg2Br2 powder purified under vacuum sealing. Before and after purification, we characterize the powder samples through X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The corresponding results indicate that physical properties of the Hg2Br2 compound are not damaged even after the purification process. The impurities and concentration in the purified Hg2Br2 powder are evaluated by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy. Notably, compared to the sample purified under pumping conditions, the purification process under vacuum sealing results in a higher purity Hg2Br2 (99.999 %). In addition, when the second vacuum sealing purification process is performed, the remaining impurities are almost removed, giving rise to Hg2Br2 with ultra-high purity. This high purification process might be possible due to independent control of impurities and Hg2Br2 materials under the optimized vacuum sealing. Preparation of such a highly purified Hg2Br2 materials will pave a promising way toward a high-quality Hg2Br2 single crystal and then high performance AOTF modules.
For the aerospace structural application of high-strength 2xxx series aluminum alloys, stress corrosion cracking(SCC) behavior in aggressive environments needs to be well understood. In this study, the SCC sensitivities of 2024- T62, 2124-T851 and 2050-T84 alloys in a 3.5% NaCl solution are measured using a constant load testing method without polarization and a slow strain rate test(SSRT) method at a strain rate of 10-6 /sec under a cathodic applied potential. When the specimens are exposed to a 3.5% NaCl solution under a constant load for 10 days, the decrease in tensile ductility is negligible for 2124-T851 and 2050-T84 specimens, proving that T8 heat treatment is beneficial in improving the SCC resistance of 2xxx series aluminum alloys. The specimens are also susceptible to SCC in a hydrogen-generating environment at a slow strain rate of 10−6/sec in a 3.5% NaCl solution under a cathodic applied potential. Regardless of the test method, low impurity 2124-T851 and high Cu/Mg ratio 2050-T84 alloys are found to have relatively lower SCC sensitivity than 2024-T62. The SCC behavior of 2xxx series aluminum alloys in the 3.5% NaCl solution is discussed based on fractographic and micrographic observations.
Inorganic semiconductor compounds, e.g., CIGS and CZTS, are promising materials for thin film solar cells because of their high light absorption coefficient and stability. Research on thin film solar cells using this compound has made remarkable progress in the last two decades. Vacuum-based processes, e.g., co-evaporation and sputtering, are well established to obtain high-efficiency CIGS and/or CZTS thin film solar cells with over 20% of power conversion. However, because the vacuum-based processes need high cost equipment, they pose technological barriers to producing low-cost and large area photovoltaic cells. Recently, non-vacuum based processes, for example the solution/nanoparticle precursor process, the electrodeposition method, or the polymer-capped precursors process, have been intensively studied to reduce capital expenditure. Lately, over 17% of energy conversion efficiency has been reported by solution precursors methods in CIGS solar cells. This article reviews the status of non-vacuum techniques that are used to fabricate CIGS and CZTS thin films solar cells.
The transfer characteristics of zinc tin oxide(ZTO) on silicon dioxide(SiO2) thin film transistor generally depend on the electrical properties of gate insulators. SiO2 thin films are prepared with argon gas flow rates of 25 sccm and 30 sccm. The rate of ionization of SiO2(25 sccm) decreases more than that of SiO2(30 sccm), and then the generation of electrons decreases and the conductivity of SiO2(25 sccm) is low. Relatively, the conductivity of SiO2(30 sccm) increases because of the high rate of ionization of argon gases. Therefore, the insulating performance of SiO2(25 sccm) is superior to that of SiO2(30 sccm) because of the high potential barrier of SiO2(25 sccm). The ZTO/SiO2 transistors are prepared to research the CO2 gas sensitivity. The stability of the transistor of ZTO/SiO2(25 sccm) as a high insulator is superior owing to the high potential barrier. It is confirmed that the electrical properties of the insulator in transistor devices is an important factor to detect gases.
In this study, glass fibers are fabricated via a continuous spinning process using manganese slag, steel slag, and silica stone. To fabricate the glass fibers, raw materials are put into an alumina crucible, melted at 1550℃ for 2 hrs, and then annealed at 600℃ for 2 hrs. We obtain a black colored glass. We identify the non-crystalline nature of the glass using an XRD(x-ray diffractometer) graph. An adaptable temperature for spinning of the bulk marble glass is characterized using a high temperature viscometer. Spinning is carried out using direct melting spinning equipment as a function of the fiberizing temperature in the range of 1109℃ to 1166℃ , while the winder speed is in the range of 100rpm to 250rpm. We investigate the various properties of glass fibers. The average diameters of the glass fibers are measured by optical microscope and FE-SEM. The average diameter of the glass fibers is 73 μm at 100rpm, 65 μm at 150rpm, 55 μm at 200rpm, and 45 μm at 250rpm. The mechanical properties of the fibers are confirmed using a UTM(Universal materials testing machine). The average tensile strength of the glass fibers is 21MPa at 100rpm, 31MPa at 150rpm, 34MPa at 200rpm, and 45MPa at 250rpm.