Compositional and Hollow Engineering of Silicon Carbide/Carbon Microspheres as High-Performance Microwave Absorbing Materials with Good Environmental Tolerance

Microwave absorbing materials(MAMs)characterized by high absorption efficiency and good environmental tolerance are highly desirable in practical applications.Both silicon carbide and carbon are considered as stable MAMs under some rigorous conditions,while their composites still fail to produce satisfactory microwave absorption performance regardless of the improvements as compared with the individuals.Herein,we have successfully implemented compositional and structural engineering to fabricate hollow Si C/C microspheres with controllable composition.The simultaneous modulation on dielectric properties and impedance matching can be easily achieved as the change in the composition of these composites.The formation of hollow structure not only favors lightweight feature,but also generates considerable contribution to microwave attenuation capacity.With the synergistic effect of composition and structure,the optimized SiC/C composite exhibits excellent performance,whose the strongest reflection loss intensity and broadest effective absorption reach-60.8 dB and 5.1 GHz,respectively,and its microwave absorption properties are actually superior to those of most SiC/C composites in previous studies.In addition,the stability tests of microwave absorption capacity after exposure to harsh conditions and Radar Cross Section simulation data demonstrate that hollow SiC/C microspheres from compositional and structural optimization have a bright prospect in practical applications.

A Study of EM Algorithm as an Imputation Method: A Model-Based Simulation Study with Application to a Synthetic Compositional Data

Compositional data, such as relative information, is a crucial aspect of machine learning and other related fields. It is typically recorded as closed data or sums to a constant, like 100%. The statistical linear model is the most used technique for identifying hidden relationships between underlying random variables of interest. However, data quality is a significant challenge in machine learning, especially when missing data is present. The linear regression model is a commonly used statistical modeling technique used in various applications to find relationships between variables of interest. When estimating linear regression parameters which are useful for things like future prediction and partial effects analysis of independent variables, maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) is the method of choice. However, many datasets contain missing observations, which can lead to costly and time-consuming data recovery. To address this issue, the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm has been suggested as a solution for situations including missing data. The EM algorithm repeatedly finds the best estimates of parameters in statistical models that depend on variables or data that have not been observed. This is called maximum likelihood or maximum a posteriori (MAP). Using the present estimate as input, the expectation (E) step constructs a log-likelihood function. Finding the parameters that maximize the anticipated log-likelihood, as determined in the E step, is the job of the maximization (M) phase. This study looked at how well the EM algorithm worked on a made-up compositional dataset with missing observations. It used both the robust least square version and ordinary least square regression techniques. The efficacy of the EM algorithm was compared with two alternative imputation techniques, k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN) and mean imputation (), in terms of Aitchison distances and covariance.

Case studies on testing with compositional metamorphic relations

Some metamorphic relations （MR） are not good at detecting faults in metamorphic testing. In this paper, the method of making compositional MR （CMR） based on the speculative law of proposition logic is presented. This method constructs new MRs by composing existing MRs in a pairwise way. Because CMR contains all the advantages of the MRs that form it, its fault detection performance is wonderful. On the other hand, the number of relations will decrease greatly after composing, so a program can be tested with much fewer test cases when CMRs are used. In order to research the characteristics of a CMR, two case studies are analyzed. The experimental results show that the CMR＇s performance is mostly determined by the central MRs forming it and the sequence of composition. Testing efficiency is improved greatly when CMRs are used.

Effect of bias voltage on compositional, mechanical and corrosion property of ZrNbAlN multilayer films by unbalanced magnetron sputtering

Nano-scaled ZrNbAlN films with different negative bias voltages（Vb） were deposited on bronze substrate and Si（100） wafers by a reactive unbalanced magnetron sputtering technique. Composition and structure properties were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. It is found that mole concentrations of Zr and Nb are affected by Vb, which leads to the increase of binding energy of N 1s and Al 2p and decrease of binding energy of Zr 3d5/2 and Nb 3d5/2. Surface morphologies evolution controlled by Vb could be observed. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction patterns reveal that these films show a（111） preferred orientation. Moreover, mechanical property and corrosion behavior of ZrNbAlN films were characterized by nanoindentation test and corrosion test, respectively. A maximum value of 21.85 GPa at-70 V occurs in the ZrNbAlN- bronze system, which outperforms uncoated bronze. Corrosion experiments in 0.5 mol/L NaCl and 0.5 mol/L HCl solution show that corrosion potential and corrosion current are dependent on Vb, and better anti-corrosion property could be obtained at-90 V.

Spatial Interpolation of Soil Texture Using Compositional Kriging and Regression Kriging with Consideration of the Characteristics of Compositional Data and Environment Variables

The spatial interpolation for soil texture does not necessarily satisfy the constant sum and nonnegativity constraints. Meanwhile, although numeric and categorical variables have been used as auxiliary variables to improve prediction accuracy of soil attributes such as soil organic matter, they （especially the categorical variables） are rarely used in spatial prediction of soil texture. The objective of our study was to comparing the performance of the methods for spatial prediction of soil texture with consideration of the characteristics of compositional data and auxiliary variables. These methods include the ordinary kriging with the symmetry logratio transform, regression kriging with the symmetry logratio transform, and compositional kriging （CK） approaches. The root mean squared error （RMSE）, the relative improvement value of RMSE and Aitchison＇s distance （DA） were all utilized to assess the accuracy of prediction and the mean squared deviation ratio was used to evaluate the goodness of fit of the theoretical estimate of error. The results showed that the prediction methods utilized in this paper could enable interpolation results of soil texture to satisfy the constant sum and nonnegativity constraints. Prediction accuracy and model fitting effect of the CK approach were better, suggesting that the CK method was more appropriate for predicting soil texture. The CK method is directly interpolated on soil texture, which ensures that it is optimal unbiased estimator. If the environment variables are appropriately selected as auxiliary variables, spatial variability of soil texture can be predicted reasonably and accordingly the predicted results will be satisfied.

Influence of Thermal Treatments on In-depth Compositional Uniformity of Culn（S,Se）2 Thin Films

CuIn（S,Se）2 thin films were prepared by thermal crystallization of co-sputtered Cu-In alloy precursors in S/Se atmosphere. In-depth compositional uniformity is an important prereq- uisite for obtaining device-quality CuIn（S,Se）2 absorber thin films. In order to figure out the influence of heat treatments on in-depth composition uniformity of CuIn（S,Se）2 thin films, two kinds of reaction temperature profiles were investigated. One process is ＂one step profile＂, referring to formation of CuIn（S,Se）2 thin films just at elevated temperature （e.g. 500 ℃）. The other is ＂two step profile＂, which allows for slow diffusion of S and Se elements into the alloy precursors at a low temperature before the formation and re-crystallization of CuIn（S,Se）2 thin films at higher temperature （e.g. first 250 ℃ then 500 ℃）. X-ray diffrac- tion studies reveal that there is a discrepancy in the shape of （112） peak. Samples annealed with ＂one step profile＂ have splits on （112） peaks, while samples annealed with ＂two step profile＂ have relatively symmetrical （112） peaks. Grazing incident X-ray diffraction and en- ergy dispersive spectrum measurements of samples successively etched in bromine methanol show that CuIn（S,Se）2 thin films have better in-depth composition uniformity after ＂two step profile＂ annealing. The reaction mechanism during the two thermal processing was also investigated by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra.

IC Cloud: Enabling Compositional Cloud

Cloud computing has attracted great interest from both academic and industrial communities. Different paradigms, architectures and applications based on the concept of cloud have emerged. Although many of them have been quite successful, efforts are mainly focusing on the study and implementation of particular setups. However, a generic and more flexible solution for cloud construction is missing. In this paper, we present a composition-based approach for cloud computing （compositional cloud） using Imperial College Cloud （IC Cloud） as a demonstration example. Instead of studying a specific cloud computing system, our approach aims to enable a generic framework where wrious cloud computing architectures and implementation strategies can be systematically studied. With our approach, cloud computing providers/adopters are able to design and compose their own systems in a quick and flexible manner. Cloud computing systems will no longer be in fixed shapes but will be dynamic and adjustable according to the requirements of different application domains.

The Magma-dynamic Mechaism of Emplacement and Compositional Zonation of the Zhoukoudian Stock, Beijing

The Zhoukoudian stock in Beijing is a concentric zoned complex intrusive body formed by two successive intrusions. Quartz-diorite formed by the first intrusion is scattered sparsely on the margins of the body, while granodiorite resulting from the second intrusion constitutes the main part of the intrusion. It exhibits three distinct petrographic zones macroscopically, and is chemically characterized by enrichment of high-temperature components, such as Mg, Ca, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn. Fe and Co, on its border and merely slight enrichment of some low-temperature components, such as Na and Si, in its central part. A series of structural features indicate that the deformation of the intrusion and thermo-metamorphic rocks becomes weaker with an increase of distance from the contact, and that the intrusive body is a product of ballooning or inflating diapiric emplacement. Based on calculations of the density, viscosity and yield strength of magma and the reasonable diffusion constants and oxygen isotopic data, the mechanism of the compositional zonation of the major part of the stock is discussed. It is considered that the Soret effect, combined with double-diffusive convection, can explain the compositional zonation of the intrusion. Calculation of the ascent rates of magma shows that successive upwelling of magma got faster and faster with the progress of time.

Characteristics of Compositional Migration in Mylonites from the Ductile Shear Zones of the Southern Tancheng-Lujiang Fault Belt, Eastern Anhui Province

On the basis of field geology, three typical ductile shear zones in the southern part of the Tancheng-Lujiang fault belt have been chosen for a detailed study. Altogether ten samples of the tectonites have been collected for this study. The paper is focused on a comprehensive study of the tectonites in the medium-lower horizons of the ductile shear zones. The mineral compositions of the rocks are analyzed with EPMA and some typical whole-rock samples analyzed by chemical and ICP methods. Based on the comprehensive study of the characteristics of the deformation, the mineral assemblages and the changes of chemical composition of the bulk rocks, this paper presents a discussion on the relationship between the volume loss, the fluid flow and compositional changes during mylonitization of the ductile shear zones in this region. Our study shows that there are a large amount of fluids flowing through the shear zones during the process of mylonization, accompanied by the loss of rock volume and migration of elements and components. Modelling calculation results under different saturation conditions of fluids show that the maximum volume loss of the tectonites is about 60% relative to their protolith, while the fluid/rock ratio ranges from 10 to 103 in different ductile shear zones.

Improving the Interfacial Mechanical Property of Fiber Reinforced Cement with Dielectric Barrier Discharge 2: Morphological and Compositional Changes of the Fiber Surface

The morphological and compositional changes of the PP fibers pretreated with dielectric barrier discharge (DBD)are investigated with SEM, XPS and IR. The result shows that the etching effect is the main reason for the improvement of the result of pull-out test of the fibercement composite reported in a previous paper and the oxidation of the fiber surface also favors the adhesion between the fiber and the matrix.

COMPOSITIONAL HETEROGENEITY OF ETHYLENE OXIDE-BUTYLENE TEREPHTHALATE SEGMENTED COPOLYMER

A series of ethylene oxide-butylene terephthalate (EOBT) segmented copolymers with different soft segment length and hard segment content were synthesized. The compositional heterogeneity was studied by solvent extraction. The results show that the compositional heterogeneity increases when soft segment length and hard segment content increase. The compositional heterogeneity is also reflected in the crystallization behavior and morphology of soft and hard segment in EOBT segmented copolymer. The more compositional heterogeneous the EOBT segmented copolymer is, the more different the morphology and the crystallization behavior between separated fractions. Compared with ethylene oxide-ethylene terephthalate (EOET) segmented copolymer, compositional heterogeneity in EOBT segmented copolymer is weaker. But the compositional heterogeneity in EOBT segmented copolymer with long soft segment and high hard segment content is still obvious.

Continuous compositional spread investigation of SiC-based thin films prepared by MW-ECR plasma enhanced magnetron co-sputtering

A kind of combinatorial material methodology,also known as continuous compositional spread method,was employed to investigate the relationship between the optical band gap and composition of SiC thin films.A wide range of SixCy thin films with different carbon contents have been successfully deposited in a single deposition by carefully arranging the sample position on the substrate holder.The films were characterized by surface profiler,x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy,fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy.The carbon content y increases linearly from 0.28 to 0.72 while the sample position changed from 85 to 175 mm,the optical band gap changed between 1.27 and 1.99 eV,the maximum value corresponded to the stoichiometric SiC sample at the position of 130 mm,which has the highest Si?C bond density of 11.7×10^22 cm^-3.The C poor and C rich SixCy samples with y value less and larger than 0.5 were obtained while samples deviated from the position 130 mm,the optical band gap decreased with the Si?C bond density.

Using compositional data analysis to explore accumulation of sedentary behavior,physical activity and youth health

Purpose:The study aimed to describe youth time-use compositions,focusing on time spent in shorter and longer bouts of sedentary behavior and physical activity(PA),and to examine associations of these time-use compositions with cardiometabolic biomarkers.Methods:Accelerometer and cardiometabolic biomarker data from 2 Australian studies involving youths 7-13 years old were pooled(complete cases with accelerometry and adiposity marker data,n=782).A 9-component time-use composition was formed using compositional data analysis:time in shorter and longer bouts of sedentary behavior;time in shorter and longer bouts of light-,moderate-,or vigorous-intensity PA;and"other time"(i.e.,non-wear/sleep).Shorter and longer bouts of sedentary time were defined as<5 min and>5 min,respectively.Shorter bouts of light-,moderate-,and vigorous-intensity PA were defined as<1 min;longer bouts were defined as≥1 min.Regression models examined associations between overall time-use composition and cardiometabolic biomarkers.Then,associations were derived between ratios of longer activity patterns relative to shorter activity patterns,and of each intensity level relative to the other intensity levels and"other time",and cardiometabolic biomarkers.Results:Confounder-adjusted models showed that the overall time-use composition was associated with adiposity,blood pressure,lipids,and the summary score.Specifically,more time in longer bouts of light-intensity PA relative to shorter bouts of light-intensity PA was significantly associated with greater body mass index z-score(zBMI)(β=1.79;SE=0.68)and waist circumference(β=18.35,SE=4.78).When each activity intensity was considered relative to all higher intensities and"other time",more time in light-and vigorous-intensity PA,and less time in sedentary behavior and moderate-intensity PA,were associated with lower waist circumference.Conclusion:Accumulating PA,particularly light-intensity PA,in frequent short bursts may be more beneficial for limiting adiposity compared to accumulating the same amount of PA at these intensities in longer bouts.

Textural and compositional zoning in plagioclase phenocrysts:implications for magma chamber processes in the Emeishan large Igneous Province,SW China

Textural and compositional zoning within plagioclase phenocrysts records the magma chamber processes,such as magma differentiation,magma recharge and mixing,and crustal contamination.The plagioclase phenocrysts in the Daqiao and Qiaojia plagioclase-phyric basalts from the Emeishan Large Igneous Province(LIP)show complex textural and compositional zoning patterns,e.g.,normal,reverse,oscillatory,and patchy zoning patterns.Most plagioclase phenocrysts exhibit a core–rim normal zoning pattern(Pl-A)with euhedral high-An cores(An=76–78%,in mole fraction)and low-An rims(An=68–72%),indicative of the crystal regrowth processes caused by recharge of relatively evolved magmas after the formation of high-An cores.Some phenocrysts have a core–rim reverse zoning pattern(Pl-B)with irregular ovaloid cores,characterized by extremely low An(60–61 mol%)and Ba(84–88 ppm)contents and extremely high87Sr/86Sr ratios(0.7120–0.7130).The rims of the Pl-B have relatively high An(69–72%),Ba(~160 ppm)contents,and low87Sr/86Sri(~0.7056).These Pl-B plagioclase phenocrysts preserve the information about the interaction between the crustal xenocrysts and the transporting magmas.Some plagioclase phenocrysts show a core–mantle–rim oscillatory zoning pattern(Pl-C)with multiple oscillations of An(70–80%),Ba(88–147ppm)from core to rim,revealing replenishment and mixing of multiple batches of basaltic melts with diverse compositions.87Sr/86Sr ratios of the Pl-C do not vary significantly(0.7050–0.7054).A small portion of phenocrysts has patchy patterns in the cores(Pl-D),where the low-An patches(72–75%)in form of elliptical or irregular elongated shapes were enclosed by the high-An domains(80–87%).These features can be attributed to crystal dissolution and regrowth processes during the reaction between earlyformed low-Cumulates and recharged hot primitive melts.The cores,mantles,and rims of different types of plagioclase phenocrysts(except the core of Pl-B)commonly display nearly constant Sr isotopic compositions,implying insignificant wall-rock assimilation at shallow-level magma reservoir(s)during the growth of these plagioclase phenocrysts.In conclusion,the massive crystallization of plagioclase in the late stage was an important controlling factor for the formation of iron-rich basalts in the Emeishan LIP.

Compositional and structural evolution of the titanium dioxide formation by thermal oxidation

Titanium oxide films were prepared by annealing DC magnetron sputtered titanium films in an oxygen ambient. X-ray diffraction （XRD）, Auger electron spectroscopy （AES） sputter profiling, MCs^＋-mode secondary ion mass spectrometry （MCs^＋-SIMS） and atomic force microscopy （AFM） were employed, respectively, for the structural, com- positional and morphological characterization of the obtained films. For temperatures below 875 K, titanium films could not be fully oxidized within one hour. Above that temperature, the completely oxidized films were found to be rutile in structure. Detailed studies on the oxidation process at 925K were carried out for the understanding of the underlying mechanism of titanium dioxide （TiO2） formation by thermal oxidation. It was demonstrated that the formation of crystalline TiO2 could be divided into a short oxidation stage, followed by crystal forming stage. Relevance of this recognition was further discussed.

STUDIES ON POLY(ETHYLENE TEREPHTHA LATE)-POLY(TETRAMETHYLENE ETHER) MULTIBLOCK COPOLYMER.Ⅰ.COMPOSITIONAL HOMOGENEITY

The compositional homogeneity of a poly (ethylene terephthalate)-poly (tetramethylene ether) multiblock copolymer sample with low content of hard segment was examined by GPC, TLC, and solubility method. The copolymer sample was found to have a uniform composition as a function of elution volume over the major portion of sample from GPC method. However within one elution fraction, the copolymer chains, although having the same hydrodynamic volume, may have some difference in composition. Two fractions with different composition were obtained by precipitation in ethanol. Some low molar mass copolymers were also separated by a TLC technique from the copolymer sample.

The Influence of Boundaries on the Stability of Compositional Plumes

The influence of boundaries on the dynamics of a compositional plume is studied using a simple model in which a column of buoyant fluid rises in a less buoyant fluid bounded by two vertical walls with a finite distance apart. The problem is governed by four dimensionless parameters: The Grashoff number, R, which is a measure of the difference in concentration of light material of the plume to its surrounding fluid, the Prandtl number, σ, which is the ratio of viscosity, ν, to thermal diffusivity, κ, the thickness of the plume, 2x0, and the distance, d, between the two vertical walls relative to the salt-finger length scale. The influence of the boundary on the fluxes of material, heat, and buoyancy is examined to find that the buoyancy flux possesses a local maximum for moderate to small thicknesses of the plume when they lie close to the wall. This has the effect of introducing a region of instability for thin plumes near the wall with an asymptotically larger growth rate. In addition, the presence of the boundary suppresses the three-dimensional instabilities present in the unbounded domain and allows only two-dimensional instabilities for moderate to small distances between the bounding walls.

Application of neural network to speed-up equilibrium calculations in compositional reservoir simulation

Compositional reservoir simulation is an important tool to model fluid flow in oil and gas reservoirs.Important investment decisions regarding oil recovery methods are based on simulation results,where hundred or even thousand of different runs are performed.In this work,a new methodology using artificial intelligence to learn the thermodynamic equilibrium is proposed.This algorithm is used to replace the classical equilibrium workflow in reservoir simulation.The new method avoids the stability test for single-phase cells in most cases and provides an accurate two-phase flash initial estimate.The classical and the new workflow are compared for a gas-oil mixing case,showing a simulation time speed-up of approximately 50%.The new method can be used in compositional reservoir simulations.

Developing nacre-inspired laminate-reticular 2024Al/B_(4)C composites with high damage resistance by adjusting compositional wettability

To address the issue that B_(4)C ceramics are difficult to be wetted by aluminum metals in the composites,TiB_(2)was introduced via an in-situ reaction between TiH_(2)and B_(4)C to regulate their wettability and interfacial bonding.By pressure infiltration of the molten alloy into the freeze-cast porous ceramic skeleton,the 2024Al/B_(4)C-TiB_(2)composites with a laminate-reticular hierarchical structure were produced.Compared with 2024Al/B_(4)C composite,adding initial TiH_(2)improved the flexural strength and valid fracture toughness from(484±27)to(665±30)MPa and(19.3±1.5)to(32.7±1.8)MPa·m^(1/2),respectively.This exceptional damage resistance ability was derived from multiple extrinsic toughening mechanisms including uncracked-ligament bridging,crack branching,crack propagation and crack blunting,and more importantly,the fracture model transition from single to multiple crack propagation.This strategy opens a pathway for improving the wettability and interfacial bonding of Al/B_(4)C composites,and thus produces nacre-inspired materials with optimized damage tolerance.

Mapping of Compositional Diversity and Chronological Ages of Lunar Farside Multiring Mare Moscoviense Basin:Implications to the Middle Imbrian Mare Basalts

The Mare Moscoviense is an astonishing rare flatland multi-ring basin and one of the recognizable mare regions on the Moon's farside.The mineralogical,chronological,topographical and morphological studies of the maria surface of the Moon provide a primary understanding of the origin and evolution of the mare provinces.In this study,the Chandrayaan-1 M^(3)data have been employed to prepare optical maturity index,FeO and TiO^(2)concentration,and standard band ratio map to detect the mafic indexes like olivine and pyroxene minerals.The crater size frequency distribution method has been applied to LROC WAC data to obtain the absolute model ages of the Moscoviense basin.The four geological unit ages were observed as 3.57 Ga(U-2),3.65 Ga(U-1),3.8 Ga(U-3)and 3.92 Ga(U-4),which could have been formed between the Imbrian and Nectarian epochs.The M^(3)imaging and reflectance spectral parameters were used to reveal the minerals like pyroxene,olivine,ilmenite,plagioclase,orthopyroxene-olivine-spinel lithology,and olivine-pyroxene mixtures present in the gabbroic basalt,anorthositic and massive ilmenite rocks,and validated with the existing database.The results show that the Moscoviense basin is dominated by intermediate TiO^(2)basalts that derived from olivine-ilmenite-pyroxene cumulate depths ranging from 200 to 500 km between 3.5 Ga and 3.6 Ga.