bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bakhtin at the Seaside
Authors: Webb Darren
Published: May 2005

This article critically examines Bakhtinian interpretations of the English seaside resort. These suggest that resorts developed in England as sites of cultural resistance to the pressures of modernity; marginal spaces in which the utopian dynamics of traditional recreational practices were kept alive. The rise of the seaside ‘leisure industry’ is then interpreted as a hegemonic force, tearing the social practices of the people away from their traditional associations and rendering them complicit with the discourse of modernity. Taking the popular resort of Blackpool as a case study, the article offers a somewhat different argument. First, it suggests that the social relations of the 19th-century English seaside resort were anything but ‘carnivalesque’. Second, it claims that the leisure industry is open to interpretations other than those which focus on bourgeois hegemony and social control. These latter interpretations preclude the possibility that modern leisure practices possessed a utopian dimension of their own. In the case of Blackpool, however, it is argued that they did. The article concludes by highlighting the need for a more considered use of the concept of ‘the carnivalesque’, as the analytical frame it provides can serve to mask rather than illuminate the utopian dimensions of popular culture.
Graft Copolymers Polydimethylsiloxane–Polyethyleneoxide. Synthesis and Characterization
Authors: Pricop Lucia , Hamciuc Viorica , Marcu Mihai , Ioanid Aurelia , Alazaroaie Silvia
Published: May 2005

A series of polydimethylsiloxane–polyethyleneoxide graft copolymers were obtained by hydrosilylation reactions of the α-allyl, ω-acetate-polyethyleneoxide with polysiloxane copolymers containing Si–H groups. The structures and the properties of these copolymers were determinated by 1HNMR, 13C NMR and IR spectra, gel permeation chromatography, viscosity measurements, differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy and surface tension measurements.
Charge Carrier Transport in a Molecularly Doped Polymer: Dispersive versus Gaussian
Authors: Tyutnev Andrey P. , Saenko Vladimir S. , Pozhidaev Evgenii D. , Kolesnikov Vladislav A.
Published: May 2005

A typical molecularly doped polymer (bisphenol- A-polycarbonate containing 30 mass% of hydrazone DEH) has been put to thorough experimental examination by both time of flight and radiationinduced conductivity methods. A much improved measurement technique incorporating a computerassisted registration scheme that allows one to record a complete current transient over up to five decades in time in one single shot was employed. Studies of radiation-induced conductivity (conductivity proper as well as transit effects) uniquely prove the dispersive rather than the Gaussian transport of holes (majority carriers) in this polymer. The shape of the time-of flight current transients is strongly influenced by some extraneous factor, presumably surface traps, whose role in radiation-induced conductivity could hardly be detected. We describe the phenomenon quantitatively using a multiple trapping formalism. A critical discussion of the present situation in the field of charge carrier transport in disordered solids is also included.
Environmental Durability of Polymerization of Monomer Reactants-type Polyimide–Clay Nanocomposites
Authors: Abdalla Mohamed O. , Ganguli Sabyasachi , Abdalla Mohamed A. , Dean Derrick , Campbell Sandi
Published: May 2005

The environmental durability of PMR-15 nanocomposites prepared from an unmodified Na+-montmorillonite (PGV) and two organically modified PGV (PGVC10COOH, PGVC12) have been investigated using an accelerated hydrolytic aging test and a long-term thermo-oxidative aging study. PGV was modified with an amino acid (11-amino-undecanoic acid) and a primary amine (dodecylamine). The PGV/PMR-15 nanocomposite exhibited higher moisture gain than the neat resin, while PGVC10COOH, PGVC12/PMR-15 nanocomposites exhibited lower moisture gains. XRD data of the nanocomposites correlated well with the moisture gain data for the nanocomposites. PGVC10COOH and PGVC12/PMR-15 nanocomposites exhibited more than a 50% reduction in the flexural modulus drop off. These results suggest that nanocomposites provide a viable approach in decreasing the susceptibility of PMR-15 to hydrolytic degradation. No improvement in the thermal oxidative stability of the nanocomposites was achieved. This may be attributable to the relatively low thermal stability of the organic modifiers and/or the presence of impurities, which catalyzed the PMR-15 degradation.
Viscometric Study of Poly(dimethylsiloxaneb-N-vinylpyrrolidone) in Water Solutions
Authors: Epure Virginia , Ioan Silvia , Pinteala Mariana , Harabagiu Valeria , Simionescu Bogdan C. , Simionescu Bogdan C.
Published: May 2005

The synthesis and viscometric behavior of poly(dimethylsiloxane-b- N-vinylpyrrolidone) in dilute to extremely dilute water solutions was investigated. The viscometric molecular weights, intrinsic viscosities and critical concentrations which separate the dilute-semi-dilute and dilute-extremely dilute regimes were studied. A dependence between reduced viscosity ηsp /c and concentration for extremely dilute regime was found. The deviation from Huggins dependence is discussed.
A Mechanistic Approach to the Modeling of the Fracture of Kevlar-29 Fiber in Recoil Compression
Authors: Sweeney Daniel J. , Newell James A.
Published: May 2005

The recoil compressive test, as introduced by Allen, has provided the closest results to the traditional composites test for determining the compressive strength of high-performance polymers. Several methods have been developed to interpret the recoil compressive failure results, all of them involving either fitting empirical parameters or severely restricting the data pool. The model presented in this paper expands upon the idea of the recoil wave, providing a theoretical characterization of the single filament polymeric fiber under recoil compression. This characterization is expanded to postulate a mechanistically derived model to accurately fit the fracture failure statistics of Kevlar-29 fiber that is shown to be both precise and highly insensitive to uncertainty in transverse modulus.
Effect of Surface Modification on Adhesion of a Metal Bond Coat to PMR Composites
Authors: Vasquez Dominic L. , Ndalama Tchinga , Hirschfeld Deidre A. , Sutter James K.
Published: May 2005

Graphite-reinforced polyimide composites are being considered for use in advanced turbine engines, which require the application of wear- and oxidation-resistant coatings onto the composites. To ensure in-service adhesion of a hard, protective ceramic or cermet coating to these composites, it is first necessary to apply a metal bond coat This study examines the effect that a silica layer has on the adhesion of a proprietary metal bond coat to PMR-15 and PMR-II-50 composite surfaces. Previous work has shown that radio frequency (RF) oxygen plasma etching was the most effective technique for increasing the surface energy of the composites and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of silica using tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) produced stoichiometric silica films. In addition, UV/ozone chemical vapor deposition (UVCVD) using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) was also used to deposit silica species on the composite surfaces. The surfaces of PMR-15 and PMR-II-50 samples were modified by the following methods: grit blasting; grit blasting, ultra-violet/ozone (UV/ozone) etch, UVCVD of silic; and grit blasting, RF oxygen plasma etch, PECVD of silica. Adhesion pull tests were conducted and the fracture surfaces were examined using both optical and electron microscopy. PMR-15 samples with PECVD silica showed a significant increase in adhesion when compared with both UVCVD silica and grit blasting only. PMR-II-50 showed no significant difference in the adhesion strength for any surface modification method. Electron microprobe analysis of the fracture surfaces showed no evidence that silica was present on surfaces treated by UVCVD. Analyses also showed that the silica bonded more strongly to both the PMR-15 and PMR-II-50 neat resins than to the graphite fibers. The poor surface quality of PMR-II-50 composites is believed to have a major effect on bond coat adhesion strength.
L’électrification des sensibilités musicales
Authors: Tournès Ludovic
Published: May 2005

L’histoire des techniques et l’histoire culturelle sont deux domaines qui, au moins dans l’historiographie française, s’ignorent mutuellement. C’est cette ignorance que l’on voudrait contribuer à réduire ici, en étudiant la diffusion de la technique d’enregistrement électrique des disques en France à partir de 1925 et ses conséquences, à la fois sur l’industrie du disque mais aussi sur l’évolution des genres musicaux et la formation d’un nouveau paysage sonore au cours de l’entre-deux-guerres. La construction du jazz en tant que catégorie esthétique à part entière au cours de cette période en est un exemple significatif, qui sera plus particulièrement traité ici. Il n’est certainement pas le seul: plus généralement, c’est probablement toute l’histoire des musiques populaires en France qu’il faudrait relire à la lumière de cette hypothèse de travail.
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well
Authors: Tinker Chris
Published: May 2005

Focusing on some of the most significant English-language versions of Jacques Brel’s chansons in North America and the UK, this article will discuss some of the competing practices and discourses around the process of adaptation. Three distinct approaches are identified: the first, epitomised by the work of the singer–songwriter Rod McKuen, is aimed primarily at commercial, mainstream audiences. The second approach, exemplified by the musical revue Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris and by the work of the English chansonnier Des de Moor, is situated within an alternative if not oppositional Anglophone cabaret tradition. The third approach, illustrated by the careers of Scott Walker and Marc Almond, blurs the distinction between mainstream and alternative, and in doing so, captures some of the inherent postmodern qualities of French chanson. Indeed, all of the approaches discussed serve to highlight the specificities of the genre.
Fabricating Johnny
Authors: Looseley David
Published: May 2005

This article takes Johnny Hallyday’s current status as a national icon as the starting point for an investigation of the relationship between popular music, authenticity and national culture in contemporary France. Public representations of Hallyday at the time of his sixtieth birthday in June 2003 were very different from those prevailing at the start of his career, when he scandalised the cultural establishment by appearing as the conduit for US-style rock’n’roll, which seemed to symbolise the Americanisation of French cultural values. Today, he is portrayed as belonging squarely to the canonical French chanson tradition and even as the incarnation of l’exception culturelle française. This discursive transformation testifies to a parallel mutation in the status of pop music in France, which the article traces.
German Foreign Policy and the War on Iraq: Anti-Americanism, Pacifism or Emancipation?
Authors: Forsberg Tuomas
Published: May 2005

The clash between Berlin and Washington over the war on Iraq in 2002–03 came as a surprise to the community of scholars and analysts watching German foreign policy and transatlantic relations. Attempts to explain German behaviour have mostly focused on either the anti-American or the pacifist nature of German society. There is some relevance in these explanations, but they poorly explain the timing of the change, its sudden emergence and its focus on the Iraq issue. This article argues that the most important driving force behind the change was neither anti-Americanism nor pacifism, but rather Germany’s political emancipation. The Germans had been gradually growing into their role as a leading power in Europe that is willing to take on greater international responsibility. When Berlin felt that it was not consulted in the decisionmaking process, it reacted strongly. The question at stake was the nature of the world order and the relations of the USA to its allies, and no longer the single issue of Iraq.
The NIH K-Award: Funding Opportunities for Social Work Researchers
Authors: Holleran Lori K. , Thompson Sanna J.
Published: May 2005

Social work has traversed a vast expanse since its roots in settlement houses and as friendly visitors to making a profound mark on the world of social science research. The authors begin by examining the role of research in the social work profession and then discuss current changes, directions, and challenges in the pursuit of research funds. Highlighted will be Career Development Awards, specifically the Mentored Research Scientist Development Award or the K01 mechanism offered by the National Institutes of Health. A historical context is set, the mechanism described, and two social work K01 grantees illustrate the utility and promise of this funding source for conducting social work research. This manuscript aims to help readers determine (a) if the K mechanism is a good fit with their goals and needs and (b) how to pursue a K-Award successfully.
Empirically Supported Family and Peer Interventions for Dual Disorders
Authors: Moore Barbara C.
Published: May 2005

Objective: This article selectively reviews evidence-based family and peer interventions for co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders. Although few researchers have specifically investigated family interventions for dual disorders, considerable empirical evidence exists for the effectiveness of such interventions in treating each of the two disorders separately. Method: Quality of supporting research is examined and implications for dual disorders are explored. Results: Findings from multiple studies are that inclusion of families in treatment helps to engage treatment-resistant individuals, promotes treatment adherence and psychiatric stability, reduces relapse, reduces alcohol and illicit drug use, and improves well-being of clients and family members. Conclusions: Research and treatment implications are discussed with suggestions for integration of approaches derived from the two historically separate fields.
A Fidelity Rating Instrument for Consumer-Run Drop-in Centers (FRI-CRDI)
Authors: Mowbray Carol T. , Holter Mark C. , Stark Lori , Pfeffer Carla , Bybee Deborah
Published: May 2005

Objective: Given the present emphasis on accountability and maintaining quality, the objective of this study was to develop, apply, and assess the reliability of a fidelity rating instrument for consumer-operated services—a promising model, but one for which fidelity criteria are not yet established. Method: Based on observations, documents, and director interviews from 31 consumer-run drop-in centers, we developed a scale measuring fidelity to pre-established criteria and rated each center on scale items. A second study examined the interrater reliability of the measure. Results: Scale scores on the 31 centers showed substantial heterogeneity on the majority of the criteria. The fidelity rating scale demonstrated satisfactory interrater reliability on most items. Conclusions: The fidelity rating instrument is ready to be used by social work researchers evaluating consumer-operated services. Furthermore, social work researchers can use similar methods with other innovative services that should be evaluated but currently lack standards and fidelity criteria.
Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect: An Evaluation of a Home Visitation Parent Aide Program Using Recidivism Data
Authors: Harder Jeanette
Published: May 2005

Objective: The purpose of this research was to examine the secondary and tertiary prevention of child abuse and neglect through an evaluation of the Parent Aide Program at the Child Abuse Prevention Center in Dallas, Texas. Method: Using a quasi-experimental, retrospective research design, this project compared abuse recidivism rates for those parents who completed, dropped out, or refused to participate in a home visitation child abuse prevention program. Results: Parents who completed the Parent Aide Program had fewer subsequent, substantiated reports to child protective services of child abuse or neglect than those parents who refused to participate or dropped out of the Parent Aide Program. Conclusion: A home visitation Parent Aide Program can be effective in reducing the risk for child abuse and neglect at the secondary and tertiary level. Treatment integrity remains a critical issue, especially initial engagement of parents and participant attrition.
The Role of Organizational Variables in Predicting Service Effectiveness: An Analysis of a Multilevel Model
Authors: Yoo Jane , Brooks Devon
Published: May 2005

This study examines the role of organizational context in predicting service effectiveness. It highlights methods for studying this phenomenon for expanding knowledge of intervention effects in social work and other disciplines in the human services. A total of 3,883 children and 13 networks of organizations comprised the study sample. To determine whether the organizational context explains intervention effects, a multilevel model of a hypothesized relationship between organizational variables, child characteristics, and child outcomes was tested. The results indicate that child outcome (measured as out-of-home placement) varies across networks, and this variance is largely explained by workplace conditions. Specifically, organizations that are characterized by their respective workers as having greater routineness of work, strong leadership qualities, and supervisor and coworker support are related to fewer occurrences of out-of-home placement for children who participated in a family preservation program. This study suggests that organizational characteristics are potentially strong determinants of service effectiveness.
Cognitive Maps in Rats and Robots
Authors: Hafner Verena V.
Published: May 2005

More is known of the navigation skills of mice and rats than of any other vertebrate. The discovery of place cells (cells whose firing rate correlates with the spatial position of the animal) in the rat’s hippoc ampus has inspired various attempts to model these cells. This work presents one such model which has been optimized on simulated autonomous agents and implemented on a mobile robot which learns to navigate within its environment through exploration using vision as its main sensory modal ity. The artificial mouse robot aMouse, a mobile robot with active whiskers and omnidirectional vision, is presented as an ideal robotic platform to study rodent navigation. The visual field of the robot is similar to the large visual field of rats and mice, and its whisker system uses real rat whiskers for tex ture recognition. The paper suggests how tactile information from the active whisker array on the robot can be used as an additional sensory modality for the place cell model described earlier.
The Cyber Rodent Project: Exploration of Adaptive Mechanisms for Self-Preservation and Self-Reproduction
Authors: Doya Kenji , Uchibe Eiji
Published: May 2005

The aim of the Cyber Rodent project is to understand the origins of our reward and affective systems by building artificial agents that share the same intrinsic constraints as natural agents: Self-preserva tion and self-reproduction. A Cyber Rodent is a robot that can search for and recharge from battery packs on the floor and copy its programs to a nearby agent through its infrared communication port. This article reviews our research topics so far, including (1) evolution of neural controllers, (2) learning of foraging and mating behaviors, (3) evolution of learning architectures and meta-parameters, (4) simultaneous learning of multiple agents in a body, and (5) learning and evolution in a self-sustained colony. We discuss our future directions and expected contributions.
Comparison of Distributed PD-like and Importancebased Fuzzy Logic Controllers for a Two-link Rigid-flexible Manipulator
Authors: Shi Linda Z. , Trabia Mohamed B.
Published: May 2005

Fuzzy logic control presents a computationally efficient and robust alternative to conventional controllers. While experts can easily design fuzzy logic controllers (FLCs) for many applications, some systems such as multilink flexible manipulators, which have many variables and complex behavior, offer challenges to fuzzy logic control. In this paper we present two distributed controllers for a two-link rigid-flexible manipulator that moves in a vertical plane where the gravity field is active. The first distributed controller, which is based on observing the performance of the manipulator, uses three PD-like FLCs: the first two FLCs control joint angles and joint angular velocities while the third controls the tip vibration. The second distributed controller is based on evaluating the importance degrees of the output variables of the system. Variables with the same rank of high importance degrees are grouped together, while variables with low importance degrees may be deleted to simplify the design of the controller. The fuzzy rules in the two proposed structures are selected to mimic the performance of comparable linear controllers. The parameters in both FLCs are tuned using nonlinear programming to obtain better performance. The two distributed FLCs are simulated and compared. The robustness of both tuned distributed FLCs is tested by varying the joint trajectories and angular velocities. The effect of changing the payload on the robustness of the two controllers is also considered.
Modal Controllability and Observability of Bladed Disks and their Dependency on the Angular Velocity
Authors: Christensen René H. , Santos Ilmar F.
Published: May 2005

Rotating bladed disks are characterized by time-variant mathematical models presenting vibration coupling among rotor lateral motion and blade flexible motion. Moreover, they present parametric vibration modes and the blade natural frequencies may change depending on the angular velocity due to centrifugal stiffening. Consequently, the degree of controllability and observability of bladed disks also becomes time-varying, dependent on angular velocity, and a difficult task to analyze. In this paper we present a methodology for analyzing the modal controllability and observability of a bladed disk, based on time-variant modal analysis. The method takes into account time-variant parametric vibration mode shapes, and quantitative measures of modal controllability and observability are calculated. Numerical results show that, in order to control blade and shaft vibrations of a tuned bladed disk, by means of active control, blade-based as well as shaft-based sensing and actuation are required to monitor and control all vibration levels. If rotor blades are properly mistuned, the results show that disk as well as blade vibrations are monitorable and controllable by using only shaft-based sensing and actuation. The analysis shows why the mistuned disk becomes theoretically controllable and observable, via the presence of parametric mode shape components. Finally, the results show that the levels of controllability and observability depend significantly on the angular velocity, no matter the number of applied sensors and actuators used or their positioning.
Translating Science and Restoring our Sense of Wonder
Authors: Eckersley Robyn
Published: May 2005

Bill McKibben’s The End of Nature still stands as an exemplary case of environmental journalism in the way it translates complex scientific ideas into an accessible form and engenders a deep sense of wonder about the natural world. Nonetheless, this article suggests that McKibben’s core claim that we have reached the end of nature (as a human experience of the wild; as an independent, creative force and identity-fixing force; and as a reasonably predictable and reassuring force) is overstated and contradicted by his prescriptions for the future. If nature has come to an end and we humans have taken over nature’s role as the all-powerful force, as McKibben argues, then how can we follow his advice and choose to become nature’s creatures again? And whose idea of nature should count? McKibben appears to have mistaken decline for death and unintended human impacts for God-like control.
Global Warming and Political Power
Authors: Gelbspan Ross
Published: May 2005

In 1989, The End of Nature warned about the onset of global warming. Rereading it today, that warning seems more a background illustration of a larger message: We have grown collectively as large and powerful as any force of nature. In wrestling with that revelation, Bill McKibben called into question the collective self-image we have nurtured since we first became a civilized species. His deeply personal expression of the profound spiritual crisis that understanding engendered makes this book an extraordinary piece of literature. Its primary shortcoming, in this author’s view, is his attribution of the crisis to an antiquated set of human values that prevents us from fully understanding the new context in which we live. But he perhaps may be underestimating a much less ephemeral obstacle: the obstruction of large and determined economic interests, the survival of which depends on our failure to acknowledge our profoundly altered relationship with nature.
The “End” or the “Humanization” of Nature?
Authors: Yearley Steven
Published: May 2005

In the last decade, social scientific studies of the environment have increased greatly in number. But this growing interest has been accompanied by a narrowing of focus. Increasingly, sociologists have looked at claims and counterclaims about specific environmental problems while missing the broader question of the cultural and social origins of environmental concern. Only social anthropologists and some social theorists have continued to investigate this issue. In this article, it is argued that McKibben’s work offers a fresh basis for examining the meaning of environmental worries and that his writings offer a form of phenomenology of our concerns for nature. Such a phenomenology can make up the basis for future systematic sociological inquiries.
Collective Action and the Eco Subpolitical
Authors: Luke Timothy W.
Published: May 2005

This essay reappraises the importance of Bill McKibben’s The End of Nature in the developing canon of important environmental political and social theory. The End of Nature was published at an opportune moment in the development of advanced industrial society that saw the collapse of the Soviet bloc, the opening of many nations to globalization, and a rapid increase in middle-class populations around the world. This essay provides a critical appreciation of McKibben’s project while at the same time highlighting the power of intrinsic technological and institutional forces in the subpolitical organization of production and consumption that make it very difficult to make environmental improvements through individual moral resolutions and actions.
Getting Right with Nature
Authors: Hoffman Andrew J. , Sandelands Lloyd E.
Published: May 2005

The past century has witnessed unprecedented economic growth and prosperity along with unprecedented depredations upon nature. To resolve these developments, there is debate between two moral postures. One takes a human-centered, or anthropocentric, view of our relationship to nature to emphasize the value of securing the resources needed for further development. The other takes an environment-centered, or ecocentric, view of our relationship to nature to emphasize the value of conserving her integrity and beauty. This article explores tensions underling these two views and finds that neither adequately reconciles us to nature. This article offers an alternative, theocentric view of our relationship to nature, founded upon Catholic Christianity, that reconciles in God our value for resources and nature and establishes a divine order of man and nature apart from human egoism and intentions. This article concludes with a discussion of the implications of this theocentric view for environmental policy and practice.
Science, Politics and Clinical Intervention: Harry Benjamin, Transsexualism and the Problem of Heteronormativity
Authors: Ekins Richard
Published: May 2005

Harry Benjamin (1885–1986) is the founding father of contemporary western transsexualism. This article examines Harry Benjamin’s work on transsexuality from the standpoint of the interrelations between science, politics and clinical intervention, with particular reference to issues concerning transsexuality and the ‘problem’ of heteronormativity. The article argues that Harry Benjamin’s writings evidence a shift from a relative openness towards diversity in his original formulations, to an increasing endorsement of the heteronormative in his later publications. In the service of science, politics and good clinical practice, the time is ripe to reclaim the work of Harry Benjamin, without its later heteronormative cast, and return to his original openness to diversity as evidenced in his clinical experience.
‘Coming Out of Your Skin’: Circuit Parties, Pleasure and the Subject
Authors: Westhaver Russell
Published: May 2005

At the heart of health promotion is an unproblematized assumption about a universal fear of dying. Advocates of health promotion try to tap into this fear and use it as a motivating factor to reduce risky practices. When death avoidance is not apparent – or resisted on the part of the subject – this is taken as evidence of the subject’s irrationality or moral depravity. In this article, I draw on ethnographic research conducted on ‘circuit parties’ – large, all-night dance parties attended primarily by gay men – to argue that this assumption is neither analytically nor practically productive. I use the bodily pleasures associated with circuit parties to develop an alternative means of thinking about risky practices. Using the work of Axel Honneth to frame the circuit experience, it becomes possible to think about risky practice as a corporally embodied desire for social recognition rather than an expression of the mad immoral subject.
Shortlisted boronising of cemented carbides for improved diamond layer adhesion
Authors: Mertens R.
Published: May 2005

As with a number of other CVD processes, the presence of cobalt has a negative influence on the coating of cemented carbide substrates with CVD diamond films. The cobalt binder phase is therefore usually removed in the near surface region by chemical etching prior to deposition. However the removal of the cobalt binder phase by etching may weaken the near surface region, resulting in a decrease in the performance of the coated cemented carbide tool. An alternative to selective etching of the cobalt binder phase could be the conversion of cobalt into chemically inactive cobalt containing intermetallic phases. The present paper focuses on the formation of intermetallic B–Co phases in the near surface region of pure cobalt substrates and cemented carbide insert tips. One method investigated was coating of substrates with boron by PVD with subsequent tempering. Another method tested was powder pack cementation. Phase analyses were performed by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. The suitability of pretreatment methods for deposition of diamond films by the hot filament CVD process on cemented carbide insert tips was investigated by WDX linescans and element mappings, SEM, and wear tests. The analyses revealed in all cases the formation of intermetallic B–Co phases after boronising of the substrates. In particular, boronising by a powder pack cementation process led to significantly enhanced wear resistance of the diamond films. It could also be shown that much better adhesion was produced by converting cobalt into intermetallic B–Co phases than by removing the cobalt binder phase in the near surface region.
Shortlisted evaluation of alternative corrosion inhibitors to chromate for use in organic coatings using scanning reference electrode technique
Authors: Powell S.
Published: May 2005

Corrosion is the major mode of failure associated with organically coated galvanised sheet steels used in construction applications. In order to optimise performance and maximise the service lifetime of these materials, corrosion inhibitors are incorporated into the organic coating systems. Salts based on chromate (Cr(VI)) are highly effective for this purpose and have been used extensively in this role, however there is continuing pressure to develop effective alternative inhibitor systems owing to the known toxicity and carcinogenic properties of chromate. The scanning reference electrode technique (SRET) has been used to study the influence of a range of anodic and cathodic corrosion inhibitors on patterns of localised corrosion occurring on the intact zinc surface of galvanised sheet steel. SRET can spatially resolve localised anodic and cathodic activity occurring across the zinc surface and has highlighted some promising novel inhibitor species, namely rare earth metal salts containing cerium(III), lanthanum(III), and yttrium(II). The trivalent cations of cerium and yttrium have been incorporated into a range of inorganic ion exchange matrices to produce anticorrosive pigments. Fully formulated polyester resin based primer systems containing these pigments have been prepared. The primers were applied to a galvanised steel substrate under an architectural polyester top coat and subjected to accelerated corrosion testing. Salt spray results indicate a corrosion performance equivalent to, and in some instances exceeding, that of chromate.
Subsurface properties of laser peened 6061–T6 Al weldments
Authors: Montross C.S. , Florea V. , Brandt M. , Swain M.V.
Published: May 2005

A high power Q switched laser system has been used to laser shock process or ‘laser peen’ heat affected zones in a welded 6061–T6 aluminium alloy specimen. The effect of laser peening on hardness and elastic modulus versus depth and location with respect to the weld centre of the 6061–T6 specimen with 5083 and 5356 weld filler alloys has been analysed. Two laser energy densities, 100 and 200 J cm-2, with water as a containment layer, were used to laser peen the metal specimen. In addition to increasing the hardness of the metal the treatment also affected the elastic modulus, and the affected depth varied with respect to the distance from the weld centre.
Structure of laser remelted surface of cast irons
Authors: Lima M.S.F. , Goldenstein H.
Published: May 2005

Grey and white cast irons were surface remelted using a high power CO2 laser with a scanning velocity in the range 0·5–200 mm s-1 and the resulting surface structures were investigated using optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The remelted surface of the white iron was composed of austenite dendrites, which decompose to pearlite at low cooling rates and martensite at medium cooling rates. The maximum volume fraction of martensite was obtained at 10 mm s-1. The lattice parameter of the austenite increased with increasing solidification velocity owing to solute trapping of carbon. The remelted surface of the grey iron was composed of cellular ledeburite and X-ray diffraction analyses of the grey specimen indicated the presence of austenite, martensite, graphite, cementite, and ɛ phases. The initial austenite partially transformed to martensite at high cooling rates and to ɛ phase at low cooling rates. The appearance of the ɛ phase is therefore linked to the decomposition of supersaturated austenite.
Wear resistance of steel bonded wc hardfacing layer prepared by plasma arc technique
Authors: Hu X. , Wang L.
Published: May 2005

An in situ investigation has been carried out to assess the wear resistance of a steel bonded WC hardfacing layer prepared by the plasma arc technique. The atomised alloy steel powder used for the bond in steel bonded WC was first reduced using hydrogen to lower the oxygen content in the powder, and WC powder was then mixed with the reduced powder. The resulting powder mixture was introduced into the plasma arc under an argon atmosphere to form a hardfacing layer with a thickness of 1–3 mm on a carbon steel surface. The morphologies of the hardfacing powder and the hardfacing layer were examined with an optical microscope and SEM, and analysed by EDAX and XRD. In addition, the antiwear performance of the hardfacing layer was compared with AISI E52100 and AISI W108 special tool steels. The experimental results show that steel bonded WC can be successfully applied to a mild steel surface using the plasma arc technique. The hardness of the layer was up to 61–63 HRC and the layer had high wear resistance.
Characterisation of sol–gel derived PZT films prepared at low temperature
Authors: Miyazawa K. , Yano J. , Kaga M. , Ito Y. , Ito K. , Maeda R.
Published: May 2005

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films doped with C60 were fabricated on Pt/Ti/SiO2 /Si substrates at 400–500°C, using solutions prepared by the sol–gel method. Formation of pyrochlore was suppressed, and 〈001〉 preferential orientation of perovskite phase was developed by adding C60 dissolved in toluene. The perovskite formation temperature was also markedly lowered by using the toluene solution of C60 .
Influence of pulse duration on debonding of two layer materials by laser shock technique
Authors: Boustie M. , Auroux E. , Romain J.P. , Bertheau D.
Published: May 2005

By inducing high power laser shocks in the substrate of a two layer material (substrate plus coating), it is possible to generate a tensile stress at the interface and so to use the technique as a test of the level of coating adhesion. The features of the stress history at the interface are governed mainly by the laser shock parameters (related to the laser intensity and the pulse duration) and by the influence of the properties of the target (shock impedance, thickness, strength, etc.) on shockwave propagation. The influence of these parameters on the stress at the interface is discussed on the basis of a simplified analytical model of laser shock propagation in the coated substrate. Some key points such as the interaction of pulse duration and coating thickness are checked by experiment. The study allows some guidelines to be inferred on the use of the laser shock debonding technique as a non-destructive test of adhesion in two layer materials.
Sintering behaviour of nanoceramic coatings
Authors: de Hosson J.T.M. , Hooijmans J. , Popma R.
Published: May 2005

Densification of sol–gel derived thin nanoceramic coatings by laser irradiation and furnace treatment is discussed. Deposition of the zirconia coatings is by means of spin coating. Sintering of the coated layer is observed using a number of different measuring techniques, with special attention paid to densification behaviour and to grain growth in the coating layer using scanning electron microscopy and ellipsometry. The different crystal phases observed are also examined. During sintering at constant temperature a change in the sintering behaviour with time is observed at most temperatures. A theory is presented to explain this observed change in sintering behaviour of the sol–gel layer. Both the initial fast sintering (for all sintering temperatures) and the final slow sintering (at only the higher sintering temperatures) are explained.
Surface modification of PTFE by plasma treatment
Authors: Liu C. , Arnell R.D. , Gibbons A.R. , Green S.M. , Ren L. , Tong J.
Published: May 2005

Plasma treatment of polymer surfaces is a well established method for improving surface properties. In this paper, the surface structure and adhesive bonding properties of PTFE treated by three types of plasma are reported. The results indicate that different plasma gases have different effects on the surface structure. Argon plasma treatment produced a highly cross-linked honeycomblike structure, while air and oxygen plasma treatment resulted in a surface displaying high aspect ratio protrusions. All experimental plasma treatments caused a marked improvement in overlap shear strength, with the highest shear strength achieved after oxygen plasma treatment. It was found that the overlap shear strength was also influenced by plasma power and plasma treatment time although excessive plasma treatment caused damage to the surface layer leading to decreased shear strength. The change in surface properties and roughened microstructure together contributed to the improvement in shear strength.
Effect of Nd–YAG laser irradiation on surface microstructure of single crystal tungsten
Authors: Kawakami Y. , Sasaki S. , Ozawa E.
Published: May 2005

A number of interesting phenomena were observed in laser irradiated zones on single crystal tungsten surfaces during manufacture of ultrafine tungsten particles using a short pulse Nd–YAG laser in a low pressure inert gas atmosphere. Three patterns, square, rectangular, and triangular, were observed in the laser irradiated zone on three types of single crystal tungsten surface, namely (100), (110), and (111). These patterns were related to the cleavage plane of the tungsten. That is, under irradiation, cleavage fracture occurs in the crystal direction with weakest binding energy. At the same time, a coherent array of particles of about 500–800 nm diameter was observed around the laser irradiated zone on the single crystal tungsten surfaces. It is postulated that formation of the coherent arrays depends on the rapid solidification produced by laser irradiation, on crystal growth, and on crystal surface structure, rather than on the optical characteristics of the laser.
Microstructure and mechanical properties near interface between microarc oxidation coating and Al alloy substrate
Authors: Xue W. , Deng Z. , Chen R. , Zhang T.
Published: May 2005

The microstructure near the interface between a 2024 Al alloy substrate and a ceramic coating formed by microarc oxidation has been studied using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry. Hardness and elastic modulus on the two sides of the interface were investigated using nanoindentation and Vickers microhardness measurement. The results showed that the microstructure of the substrate was not changed by application of the coating, and a hardened zone was not observed. During microarc oxidation, no remelting of the substrate occurred, but remelting of the alumina ceramic coating on the other side of the interface did take place. The mechanical properties on the two sides of the interface had obvious differences: in a certain range of coating thickness there was a gradual increase of hardness and elastic modulus from the interface to the interior of the coating, but hardness remained almost constant in the substrate.
Hydrogen embrittlement of titanium during microwave plasma assisted CVD diamond deposition
Authors: Fu Y. , Yan B. , Loh N.L. , Sun C.Q. , Hing P.
Published: May 2005

During diamond deposition on a titanium substrate using a gas mixture of H2–CH4 (196 : 4), hydrogen easily diffused into the substrate and led to significant microstructural coarsening and a severe loss in Charpy impact energy. In order to prevent the rapid diffusion of hydrogen into the substrate during diamond deposition, three techniques were studied. The first method was to use a post-vacuum annealing treatment to achieve dehydrogenation of a diamond coated titanium specimen. However, the Charpy impact energy could not be restored significantly even after a few hours of annealing. The second method was to apply a barrier interlayer between the diamond coating and titanium substrate. Results showed that even though the sputtered TiN coating and plasma nitrided layer could prevent the rapid diffusion of hydrogen and carbon into the titanium substrate, the deposited diamond coatings had poor adhesion to the substrate. A graded interlayer produced by plasma nitriding followed by plasma carbonitriding was effective in preventing the rapid diffusion of hydrogen and also improving the nucleation rate and adhesion of the diamond coating. The third method was to use a gas mixture of Ar–H2–CH4 instead of the conventional H2–CH4. With the use of an Ar–H2–CH4 (180 : 16 : 4) mixture, a smooth and nanocrystalline diamond coating was deposited, and there was little change in the substrate microstructure or Charpy impact energy after diamond deposition.
Atomic force profilometry and long scan atomic force microscopy: New techniques for characterisation of surfaces
Authors: Cunningham T. , Serry F.M. , Ge L.M. , Gotthard D. , Dawson D.J.
Published: May 2005

Existing methods of characterising surface topography (planarity, feature dimensions, roughness, etc.) include atomic force microscopy (AFM) and stylus profilometry. Stylus profilers can scan up to 200 mm in length to characterise global planarity, but are limited in their lateral resolution for accurately characterising micro- and submicrometre features. They can also cause damage to the surface under study by dragging the stylus with forces in excess of what the surface can tolerate without inelastic deformation occurring. The AFM is gentler on the specimen than stylus profilers and has higher lateral resolution, but is limited in its ability to image areas greater than 100 × 100 μm. Two new types of metrology tools, the atomic force profiler and the long scan AFM, have been developed, combining AFM resolution, non-destructive characterisation capability, and long profile lengths. These tools can be used for measuring surface roughness, waviness, profile, step height, and angle, as well as for imaging surface defects. The main characteristics of these tools are presented, in addition to respective measurement data from each.
Mechanical properties of carbon fibre/PMR-15 composites containing thermoplastic polyimide interphase coatings
Authors: Iroh J.O. , Jordan K.M.S.
Published: May 2005

Thermoplastic copolyimide synthesised from 3,3′, 4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride, 4,4′-oxydianiline, and 1,3-phenylenediamine were success fully coated onto carbon fibres by electrochemical deposition and subsequently impregnated with polymerisable reaction mixtures of PMR-15 thermosetting polyimide. Carbon fibre/PMR-15 composites containing the thermoplastic interphase coatings showed higher flexural strength, flexural modulus, and impact strength than control carbon fibre/PMR-15 composites containing no thermoplastic interphase. The flexural properties of the composites increased with increasing interphase thickness, however impact strength decreased with increasing thickness of the thermoplastic polyimide interphase.
Characterisation of conducting composite coatings formed on steel by aqueous electrochemical process
Authors: Iroh J.O. , Rajagopalan R.
Published: May 2005

Polyaniline/polypyrrole composite coatings on low carbon steel were deposited by a potentiostatic method, using oxalic acid as the electrolyte. The applied potential and feed ratio of monomers (aniline and pyrrole) were varied, and the reactions were performed under aqueous conditions. It was found that a passive layer of iron (II) oxalate is formed before coating formation begins. Coatings were characterised using infrared spectroscopy, and the formation of composites was confirmed by the presence of polyaniline and polypyrrole peaks. Formation of composites was further corroborated by comparison of voltammograms from composites and homopolymers and by scanning electron microscopy.
Influence of rare earth oxide coatings on oxidation behaviour of Fe–20Cr alloys
Authors: Fernandes S.M.C. , Ramanathan L.V.
Published: May 2005

This paper discusses the influence of coatings of praseodymium, dysprosium, and yttrium oxide gels on the oxidation behaviour of Fe–20Cr alloys. The morphology of the coatings was found to vary with the rare earth (RE) element used. The oxidation rates of Fe–20Cr specimens with all three RE oxide coatings were significantly lower than that of the uncoated alloy. The extent of influence on oxidation rate decreased in the following order: Pr, Dy, Y. The scale formed in the presence of RE oxides was a very thin, adherent chromia scale. Micrographic evidence of RE oxides in the chromia scales was found, further confirming the mechanism of scale growth in the presence of REs. Chromium ion diffusion is hindered by RE oxide coatings, making oxygen ion diffusion dominant. A direct correlation between RE ion radius and the extent of influence on chromia growth at 1000°C has been found.