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Accurately assessing the stoichiometry and structural disorder of TiN ceramics is very important for understanding their properties, but is often not done because it requires complex Rietveld refinements of the corresponding X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. As an alternative, a simple procedure is developed here that allows such information to be extracted from the XRD patterns without Rietveld refinements. For this purpose, the stability ranges of super-stoichiometric and sub-stoichiometric TiN are first determined theoretically mathematically from the general principles of Wyckoff position occupation and electrical charge neutrality, and then constrained by theoretical thermodynamic calculations of the Gibbs potential. Subsequently, theoretical simulations of the XRD patterns of a large set of super-stoichiometric and sub-stoichiometric TiN ceramics in their stability ranges are used to reveal the existence of linear relationships between the stoichiometry and the intensity ratio of the hkl peak to the 200 peak (i.e. , I h k l / 200 (%) with hkl being 111, 220, 311, 222, 400, and 331), which is then exploited to formulate an analytical model that easily assesses the stoichiometry and structural disorder of TiN ceramics from I 111 / 200 (%). Finally, as an experimental validation and example of application, the stoichiometry of a TiN ceramic fabricated by spark plasma sintering is experimentally evaluated using both the Rietveld method and the proposed model showing marked agreement between their results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a fast and direct controlled routine for the fabrication of fully dense alumina based on the reactive spark plasma sintering (reactive-SPS) of boehmite (γ -AlOOH) nano-powders obtained by the sol–gel technique. The evolution of the transition aluminas during sintering has been studied. Some boehmite powders were seeded with α -Al 2 O 3 particles prior to the gelation. Boehmite seeded powders exhibited a direct transition to α -Al 2 O 3 at 1070 °C, enhancing the transformation kinetics and lowering the required temperature by more than 100 °C. For comparison, other samples were prepared by previously annealing the seeded and unseeded boehmite powders. Thus, α -Al 2 O 3 powders were obtained and were sintered by standard-SPS. A detailed structural and mechanical characterization is presented, comparing the hardness and indentation fracture resistance for different grain sizes and porosities. Both the reactive-SPSed samples and the standard-SPSed samples showed a high hardness (18–20 GPa), whereas the reactive-SPSed samples exhibited a lower indentation fracture resistance due to a large grain size (∼10 μm). Improvements of this procedure for obtaining smaller grain size are discussed. In summary, the presented technique brings a revolutionary fast method for the fabrication of fully dense alumina, as this process reduces the time and temperature required for alumina densification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dry sliding-wear behaviour of a zirconia doped with 3 mol% yttria (3Y-TZP) monolithic and of two 3Y-TZP composites, these latter with the same ultrafine-grained microstructure as the former but reinforced with either 1-D carbon nanofibres (CNFs) or 2-D reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanoplatelets, was evaluated by ball-on-disk tests at moderate load, and compared critically. It was found that 3Y-TZP, 3Y-TZP/CNFs, and 3Y-TZP/rGO undergo mild wear, in the three cases by abrasion with contributions from both plastic deformation and fracture (with varying severities depending on the sample). It was also found that wear resistance does not correlate with hardness or toughness, but with whether or not there is formation of self-lubricating tribofilms on the contact surface. Specifically, once pulled-out, 2-D rGO nano-reinforcements impose solid-state lubrication that reduces the coefficient of friction (CoF), thus providing 3Y-TZP/rGO with superior wear resistance relative to both 3Y-TZP and 3Y-TZP/CNFs. 1-D CNF nano-reinforcements, however, do not form such tribofilms, or hardly do so, thus having no effect on the CoF and wear resistance. Implications are discussed of both the dimensionality of the carbon-based nano-reinforcements and the testing conditions for the microstructural design of ceramic composites for tribological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been widely considered for mechanical reinforcement of ceramic matrix composites. Nevertheless, the efficiency of this reinforcement strategy is under debate due to fabrication issues, such as a good homogenization or the location of the MWCNTs inside the matrix composite. Regarding this, the intragranular location of the MWCNTs has been deemed a crucial feature for optimizing the reinforcement compared to the typical intergranular placement achieved by conventional procedures. Recently, the sol-gel method has been reconsidered, as it promotes the intragranular placement of the MWCNTs. This work presents the mechanical characterization of these composites synthesized by the sol-gel method, where crack-bridging has been revealed as toughening mechanism. Finally, the conventional use of the bibliographical Young's modulus of pure alumina for the estimation of the fracture toughness is discussed, obtaining significant improvements of the fracture toughness when indentation measurements are treated by considering elastic moduli obtained by nanoindentation. • Crack-bridging as toughening phenomena revealed by SEM. • Nanoindentation hardness and elastic modulus show an increasing behavior with CNTs concentration. • Actual elastic modulus for the calculation of fracture toughness of the composites reveals significant fracture improvement. • Sintering parameters have to be tuned for fully dense composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of allotropic phases of carbon (i.e. nanotubes, graphene or carbon nanofibers) as second phases to design ceramic composites is a hot topic at present. Researchers try to provide a remarkable improvement of the parent ceramic assuming that some of the outstanding mechanical properties of these phases migrate to the resultant composite. This reasonable idea has been questioned severely in the case of nanotubes addition but there is not any analysis for the other two phases cited previously. To elucidate this question, zirconia was selected as a model ceramic. This paper reports the mechanical properties of zirconia composites reinforced either with graphene or carbon nanofibers, with special emphasis on the high-temperature plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a high-rise elevator system lateral vibrations of the suspension and compensating ropes, coupled with vertical motions of the car and counterweight are induced by the building structure motions. When the frequency of the building coincides with the fundamental natural frequency of the ropes, large resonance whirling motions of the ropes result. This phenomenon leads to impacts of the ropes on the elevator walls, large displacements of the car and counterweight making the building and elevator system unsafe. This paper presents a comprehensive mathematical model of a high-rise elevator system taking into account the combined lateral stiffness of the roller guides and guide rails. The results and analysis presented in the paper demonstrate frequency curve veering phenomena and a wide range of resonances that occur in the system. A case study is presented when the car is parked at a landing level where the fundamental natural frequencies of the car, suspension and compensating rope system coincide with one of the natural frequencies of the high-rise building. The results show a range of nonlinear dynamic interactions between the components of the elevator system that play a significant role in the operation of the entire installation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the interest of graphene and graphene-oxide has increased extraordinarily due to the outstanding properties concurring in this material. In ceramic science, the possibility of combining excellent electrical conductivities together with an enhancement of mechanical properties has motivated the research in fabrication of graphene oxide-reinforced ceramic composites despite the intrinsic difficulties for sintering. In this work a comparison is made between graphene oxide-reinforced alumina composites and carbon nanofiber-reinforced alumina ones. It will be concluded that the improvement of mechanical properties is scarce, if any. Since carbon nanofibers have also a good electrical conductivity their importance for future applications as a replacement of more sophisticated but expensive graphene-based ceramic composites will be stressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) ceramic composites reinforced with either graphene oxide (GO) or carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were prepared using Spark Plasma Sintering. The effects of GO and CNFs on the microstructure and in consequence on their mechanical properties were investigated. The microstructure of the sintered materials have been characterized quantitatively prior to and after the creep experiments in order to discover the deformation mechanism. Graphene-oxide reinforced alumina composites were found to be more creep resistant than carbon nanofibers-reinforced alumina ones or monolithic alumina with the same grain size distribution. In all the cases, grain boundary sliding was identified as the deformation mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene oxide (GO) shows promise as a nanocomposite building block due to its exceptional mechanical properties. While atomistic simulations have become central to investigating its mechanical properties, the method remains prohibitively expensive for large deformations and mesoscale failure mechanisms. To overcome this, we establish a coarse-grained (CG) model that captures key mechanical and interfacial properties, and the non-homogeneous effect of oxidation in GO sheets. The CG model consists of three types of CG beads, representing groups of pristine sp² carbon atoms, and hydroxyl and epoxide functionalized regions. The CG force field is parameterized based on density functional-based tight binding simulations on three extreme cases. It accurately quantifies deterioration of tensile modulus and strength at the expense of improving interlayer adhesion with increasing oxidation of varying chemical compositions. We demonstrate the applicability of the model to study mesoscale phenomena by reproducing different force vs. indentation curves in silico, corroborating recent experimental observations on how chemistry near contact point influences properties. Finally, we apply the model to measure the fracture toughness of pristine graphene and GO. The critical stress intensity factor (Kc) of graphene is found to be the highest, and epoxide-rich GO also possesses higher Kc compared to hydroxyl-rich GO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain boundaries are the elementary carriers of mechanical stress and chemical transport in polycrystalline materials. They are responsible for most macroscopic properties of them, particularly the mechanical performance. Most models take into account the ability of grain boundaries to slide each other assuming that surfaces do not suffer any deformation. However, one fact that is normally ignored is the mechanical distortion of flat boundaries under shear stresses. Indeed, such deformation is usually very small to play a significant role on the dynamics of point defects or dislocations. In this work, we will report the presence of a notably mechanical instability of flat boundaries under shear solicitation in zirconium carbide, giving rise to a periodic transversal shift. Such effect is the driving force for dislocation nucleation and annihilation, the main mechanism for high-temperature plasticity in this carbide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superplastic behavior of alumina-based nanostructured ceramics (Al2O3) is an important issue in the world of materials. The main body of this paper is an analysis of the creep behavior of polycrystals, with grain boundary sliding as the main deformation mechanism at high temperatures. Concomitant accommodation of grain shapes to preserve spatial continuity has a comparatively small effect on the strain rate. The constitutive equations for small deformations, relating strain and strain rate, derived from two models for grain sliding, are compared with the experimental data with their respective uncertainties. The data follow from experiments on the plastic deformation of alumina composites reinforced, on the one hand by graphene oxide, and on the other hand by carbon nanofibers sintered by SPS. The results show good agreement between experiment and theory for these advanced ceramics, particularly for one of the assumed models. The values obtained of ξ2 for model A were in the interval 0.0002–0.1189, and for model B were in the interval 0.000001–0.0561. The values obtained of R2 for model A were in the interval 0.9122–0.9994, and for model B were in the interval 0.9586–0.9999. The threshold stress was between (3.05 · 10−15–25.68) MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning‐based algorithms have been widely applied recently in different areas due to its ability to solve problems in all fields. In this research, machine learning techniques classifying the Bravais lattices from a conventional X‐ray diffraction diagram have been applied. Indexing algorithms are an essential tool of the preliminary protocol for the structural determination problem in crystallography. The task of reverting the obtained information in reciprocal lattice to direct space is a complex issue. As an alternative way to afford this problem, different machine learning algorithms have been applied and a comparison between them has been conducted. The obtained accuracy was 95.9% using 10‐fold cross‐validation (while the best result obtained so far has been 84%). A model based on Bragg positions was our unique predictor, allowing us to obtain the set of the interplanar lattice distances. Our model was successfully checked with a complex example. In addition, our procedure incorporates the following advantages: robustness versus imprecision in data acquisition and reduction of the amount of necessary input data. This is the first time so far that such classification has been carried out in true ab initio condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to give an answer to the following question: is the oxidation of graphene a critical issue for high-temperature plasticity in graphene-reinforced ceramics? To give a convincing reply, we will focus on two very different graphene-based ceramic composites: reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-reinforced alumina (α-Al2O3) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-reinforced yttria tetragonal zirconia (t-ZrO2). The processing of the powders has been made using a colloidal route, and after that, a spark plasma sintering process was performed in order to densify the samples. Creep tests were performed at temperatures between 1200–1250 °C in an argon atmosphere. The microstructure obtained by SEM of the sintered and tested specimens was characterized quantitatively to elucidate the deformation mechanism. Raman spectroscopy was carried out to check the integrity of the graphene. The average grain size was in the order of 1 µm and the shape factor was 0.7 for all the studied materials. The integrity of the graphene was checked before and after the creep experiments. The careful analysis of the creep tests shows that graphene oxide or its reduced version are not efficient phases for creep resistance improvement in general, contrary to what is reported elsewhere. However, the results permit the suggestion of a creep improvement in nanocomposites at a very high temperature regime due to an enhanced reactivity of oxygen between carbon and alumina interfaces. In the case of zirconia, the results give us the conclusion that the oxidation of graphene is a highly detrimental issue regarding the improvement of high-temperature plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Asynchronous bouncing motion in rotating systems with intermittent contact. • Experimental validation in a multi-degree-of-freedom rotating system. • Bouncing orbits induced by internal resonance. Recent theory has predicted the onset of asynchronous bouncing motion at speeds beyond those of internal resonance in multi-degree-of-freedom rotating systems with intermittent contact. This paper provides the first attempt to experimentally validate the theory. Vibrations incorporating rotor-stator contact are recorded from a vertically ounted rotordynamics test rig comprising two rigid shaft-disk assemblies that are axially joined by a bellows coupling. The upper rotor has an elastic bearing whereas the lower one is free but has a snubber ring located on its lower shaft, with clearance about 2.5% of the entire system's length. Nonlinear vibrations are excited by a small measured eccentricity of about 20% of the clearance. Measurements are taken by a wireless accelerometer and processed to produce an experimental bifurcation diagram, for small steps in the rotor speed, allowing the transients to decay. Evidence is found of bistability between quiescent and violent motion over a wide range of rotational speeds, including those representing both fundamental and internal resonances. The results are shown to qualitatively match numerical simulations from a differential equation model that incorporates rigid impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a procedure for fabricating porous alumina with the use of a carbon sacrificial template has been tested in order to optimize the fabrication of porous structures mimicking the porosity and mechanical properties of the human cortical bone. Two different sources of sacrificial carbon were used and compared, and different sintering and calcination routes were considered. The porosity of the alumina structures studied by Hg porosimetry revealed that the amount of porosity and the size and shape of the pores are still below the required values, although some acicular pores were clearly observed by SEM. Moreover, measured mechanical properties (Young's modulus) remained below that of the bone, suggesting the need for further consolidation treatments. In summary, these encouraging results drive the optimization of future fabrication routes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is a widely distributed species across coastal and brackish areas of the Neotropical region of the Americas and the Greater Antilles. Available information on patterns of genetic differentiation in C. acutus shows a complex structuring influenced by interspecific interactions (mainly hybridization) and anthropogenic actions (mostly historical hunting, recent poaching, habitat loss and fragmentation, and unintentional translocation of individuals). In this study, we used data on mitochondrial DNA control region and 11 nuclear polymorphic microsatellite loci to assess the degree of population structure of C. acutus in South America, North America, Central America and the Greater Antilles. We used traditional genetic differentiation indices, Bayesian clustering and multivariate methods to create a more comprehensive picture of the genetic relationships within the species across its range. Analyses of mtDNA and microsatellite loci show evidence of a strong population genetic structure in the American crocodile, with unique populations in each sampling locality. Our results support previous findings showing large degrees of genetic differentiation between the continental and the Greater Antillean C. acutus. We report three new haplotypes unique to Venezuela, which are considerably less distant from the Central and North American haplotypes than to the Greater Antillean ones. Our findings reveal genetic population differentiation between Cuban and Jamaican C. acutus and offer the first evidence of strong genetic differentiation among the populations of Greater Antillean C. acutus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive candidiasis and candidemia are frequently encountered in the nosocomial setting particularly in the intensive care unit (ICU). To review the current management of invasive candidiasis and candidemia in non-neutropenic adult ICU patients based on a review of the literature and an European expert panel discussion. Empiric and directed treatment for invasive candidiasis are predicated on the hemodynamic status of the patient. Unstable patients may benefit from broad-spectrum antifungal agents, which can be narrowed once the patient has stabilized and the identity of the infecting species is established. In stable patients, a more classical approach using fluconazole may be satisfactory provided that the patient is not colonized with fluconazole resistant strains or there has been recent past exposure to an azole (<30 days). In contrast, pre-emptive therapy is based on the presence of surrogate markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive candidiasis and candidemia are frequently encountered in the nosocomial setting, particularly in the intensive care unit (ICU). To review the current management of invasive candidiasis and candidemia in non-neutropenic adult ICU patients based on a review of the literature and a European expert panel discussion. Candida albicans remains the most frequently isolated fungal species followed by C. glabrata. The diagnosis of invasive candidiasis involves both clinical and laboratory parameters, but neither of these are specific. One of the main features in diagnosis is the evaluation of risk factor for infection which will identify patients in need of pre-emptive or empiric treatment. Clinical scores were built from those risk factors. Among laboratory diagnosis, a positive blood culture from a normally sterile site provides positive evidence. Surrogate markers have also been proposed like 1,3 β- d glucan level, mannans, or PCR testing. Invasive candidiasis and candidemia is a growing concern in the ICU, apart from cases with positive blood cultures or fluid/tissue biopsy, diagnosis is neither sensitive nor specific. The diagnosis remains difficult and is usually based on the evaluation of risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rotor can contact a stator thereby inducing some very strong non-linearities that can result in a plethora of vibration phenomena. Synchronous motions, chaotic motion, backward whirl, forward whirl are some of the reported phenomena in the literature. This article presents an experimental approach based on a very flexible rotor rig designed with drill string dynamics in mind for rotordynamic experiments. A non-contact technique was used for data acquisition using a consumer-grade Go-Pro Hero 6 Black camera which captures a series of images(video) which are then post-processed using MATLAB's image processing toolbox to understand the nature of dynamics involved. A mathematical model of the experimental rig was used for comparison with the actual experiment to assess the effectiveness of the data acquisition procedure used and validity of the model. The model is able to a good extent to reproduce the behaviour of the test rig. The fundamental phenomena exhibited by the system is analysed and discussed based on bifurcation plots, spectral intensity plots and orbit plots visualised in both rotating and stationary frame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]