Supplementary cementitious materials

Relaxor ferroelectrics were discovered almost 50 years ago among the complex oxides with perovskite structure. In recent years this field of research has experienced a revival of interest. In this paper we review the progress achieved. We consider the crystal structure including quenched compositional disorder and polar nanoregions (PNR), the phase transitions including compositional order-disorder transition, transition to nonergodic (probably spherical cluster glass) state and to ferroelectric phase. We discuss the lattice dynamics and the peculiar (especially dielectric) relaxation in relaxors. Modern theoretical models for the mechanisms of PNR formation and freezing into nonergodic glassy state are also presented.

Recent progress in relaxor ferroelectrics with perovskite structure

American Society of Civil Engineers

This article reviews acoustic microfiuidics: the use of acoustic fields, principally ultrasonics, for application in microfiuidics. Although acoustics is a classical field, its promising, and indeed perplexing, capabilities in powerfully manipulating both fluids and particles within those fluids on the microscale to nanoscale has revived interest in it. The bewildering state of the literature and ample jargon from decades of research is reorganized and presented in the context of models derived from first principles. This hopefully will make the area accessible for researchers with experience in materials science, fluid mechanics, or dynamics. The abundance of interesting phenomena arising from nonlinear interactions in ultrasound that easily appear at these small scales is considered, especially in surface acoustic wave devices that are simple to fabricate with planar lithography techniques common in microfluidics, along with the many applications in microfluidics and nanofluidics that appear through the literature.

/pdf/microscale-acoustofluidics-microfluidics-driven-via-5bet39j13p.pdf

Microscale acoustofluidics: Microfluidics driven via acoustics and ultrasonics

The present invention provides for sequential chemical vapor deposition by employing a reactor operated at low pressure, a pump to remove excess reactants, and a line to introduce gas into the reactor through a valve. A first reactant forms a monolayer on the part to be coated, while the second reactant passes through a radical generator which partially decomposes or activates the second reactant into a gaseous radical before it impinges on the monolayer. This second reactant does not necessarily form a monolayer but is available to react with the monolayer. A pump removes the excess second reactant and reaction products completing the process cycle. The process cycle can be repeated to grow the desired thickness of film.

Sequential chemical vapor deposition

Hydration of fly ash cement

Interparticle potential energy calculations were performed to investigate the mechanisms by which a new class of concrete admixtures, generally referenced as poly(carboxylic acid)-type (PC) superplasticizers, which aid in dispersing cement particles, are formed. These calculations consisted of long-range Van der Waals, electrostatic, and steric interactions. The repulsive potential that resulted from electrostatic interactions was negligible, which would allow cement particles to flocculate in the absence of steric contributions. A model was developed to describe the adsorption behavior of these superplasticizers, which consisted of grafted polyethylene oxide (PEO) chains on a PC backbone on cement surfaces. Using this adsorption model, the influence of the length of the PEO molecular chain and the density per unit area on the steric contribution was quantified. Steric hindrance effects were the dominant stabilizing mechanism in this system. As expected, enhanced stability was observed with increasing adlayer thickness (and/or density). The results of this study may be useful in designing the molecular structure of this new and important class of dispersion aids for cement-based systems.

Role of Steric Hindrance in the Performance of Superplasticizers for Concrete

Effect of particle size distribution of fly ash–cement system on the fluidity of cement pastes

A hydrothermal method for preparing thin films of crystalline PZT was developed by controlling the rates of nucleation and crystal growth. This method consisted of two steps of hydrothermal reaction. The first step (nucleation process) was that in which the TiO2 substrate reacted with the mixed solution of Pb and Zr to form PZT and/or PZ nuclei on the surface. Subsequently, the crystal growth of PZT was promoted as the next hydrothermal step (crystal growth process) by the reaction of the mixed solution of Pb, Zr and Ti. From the experimental results of PZT powder preparation, the conditions of the nucleation and crystal growth process were determined as at 150°C for 24 h and at 120°C for 48 h, respectively. It was verified that the thin films consisted of PZT polycrystals and showed ferroelectric properties.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1143/JJAP.30.2174/pdf

Masaki Daimon

Papers

Hydration of fly ash cement

Role of Steric Hindrance in the Performance of Superplasticizers for Concrete

Effect of particle size distribution of fly ash–cement system on the fluidity of cement pastes

Preparation of Lead Zirconate Titanate Thin Film by Hydrothermal Method

Influence of superplasticizers on the hydration of cement and the pore structure of hardened cement