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Ion bombardment is an important approach to generate thin film compressive residual stress independent of film growth through energetic deposition. In this study, a series of Cr/Si(100) thin films were energetically deposited using Modulated Pulsed Power Magnetron Sputtering (MPPMS) to learn the residual stress variation. The steady residual stress of Cr/Si(100) thin films, ex-situ characterized based on Stoney’s equation, exhibited a compressive nature with the maximum stress observed at approximately 100–150°C as the substrate temperature increased to 220°C. The steady residual stress variation was inconsistent with calculated thermal stress and intrinsic growth stress, and the calculated compressive stress for the adatom insertion and ion bombardment are contradictory under varied temperatures. The ability of adatom movement and insertion to grain boundaries promote the formation of compressive stress, while the defect annihilation and atom rearrangement inhibit the ion bombardment-induced residual stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of alatticed spherical shell is carried out by using the scaled and spectrum-matched records. The seed records for scaling and spectrum matching are selected, so their ground motion intensity measures are consistent with chosen targets. The analysis results indicate that the use of the spectrum-matched records leads to the coefficient of variation (COV) values of the load effects to be similar or smaller than the lowest COV values obtained by using the records scaled to the target ground motion intensity measure. Use of the spectrum-matched records for this structural type is preferred for some design checking situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ageing effect on the field emission (FE) reproducibility of multiwalleded carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) synthesised by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. To investigate the ageing effect on the physical state of the MWCNTs, a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a Raman spectrometer, an X-ray photoelectron spectroscope and an X-ray diffractometer were used to characterise the MWCNTs comprehensively before and after the ageing. Through ageing, the FE reproducibility became better because the larger number and more evenly distributed shorter MWCNTs - (resulted from the local vacuum breakdown of higher MWCNTs due to Joule heating and oxidisation) - became the dominating emitters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Onion-like carbon (OLC) was synthesised by annealing detonation nanodiamond for 1.5 h at temperatures from 500 to 1400°C and at a vacuum of 1 Pa. The results showed that the nanodiamond was transformed into the amorphous carbon (a-C) at first and then the a-C was transformed into the OLC gradually with the increase in annealing temperature. Moreover, at the annealing temperature of 600°C, the nanodiamond started transforming into a-C from the edge of the nanodiamond particle (1 1 1) crystal plane. At the annealing temperature of 750°C, the nanodiamond was transformed into the a-C completely. At the annealing temperature of 850°C, the a-C began transforming into the OLC at the edge area. At the annealing temperature of 1000°C, the OLC particle with a size smaller than 5 nm was synthesised. However, in the centre of the OLC particle, untransformed a-C coexisted. At the annealing temperature of 1100°C, the microstructure of the OLC particle with a size smaller than 5 nm became optimised. At the annealing temperature of 1200°C, the OLC particle with a size larger than 5 nm was fabricated. There was also untransformed a-C coexisting in the centre of the OLC particle. At the annealing temperature of 1350°C, all the a-C was transformed into the OLC. The average size of the OLC was approximately 5 nm, which was the same as that of the nanodiamond. The layers of the OLC were varied from several to 12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The onion-like carbon (OLC) was synthesised by annealing the nanodiamond fabricated by detonation for 1 h at the temperature of 1150°C in the low vacuum of 2 Pa. The OLC particles were characterised using a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) for observing its microstructure, an X-ray diffractometer (XRD) for determining its crystal structure and component, and a Raman spectrometer for confirming its content. The results showed that the OLC particles exhibited similar shape to that of the original nanodiamond particles. The average size of the OLC was found to be approximately 5 nm. The transformation mechanism of the OLC from the nanodiamond by annealing at lower temperature and lower vacuum was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to comprehensively analyse the structures and the surface states of the nanodiamond particles fabricated by detonation, various apparatus were used to investigate the nanodiamond powder including a high-resolution transmission electron microscope, an energy diffraction spectrometer, an X-ray diffractometer, a Raman spectrometer, a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and differential scanning calorimeter. The grain size of the nanodiamond particles was in the range of 2-12 nm. However, the average grain size of the nanodiamond was approximately 5 nm. Moreover, the shapes of the nanodiamond particles were spherical or elliptical. The nanodiamond as fabricated was very pure, containing almost only the element of carbon. The contents of the impure element including O, Al and S were very small, which came from the synthesis and purification processes when fabricating the nanodiamond. The surfaces of the nanodiamond particles absorbed many functional groups, such as hydroxy, carbonyl, carboxyl and ether-based resin. The initial oxidation temperature of the nanodiamond powder in the air was about 520°C, which was lower than that of the bulk diamond. However, the oxidation temperature of the nanographite existing in the nanodiamond powder was about 228°C. The graphitisation temperature of the nanodiamond powder in the Ar gas was approximately 1305°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichlorfon is a thermally unstable insecticide that can be easily decomposed to dichlorvos at high temperatures. In this study, a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for simultaneous determination of the residues of trichlorfon and dichlorvos in animal tissues. Trichlorfon and dichlorvos in animal tissues were extracted with dichloromethane, homogenized/shaken, concentrated, and determined by LC-MS/MS. The two insecticides can be effectively separated and individually determined. The limits of detection (LODs) of trichlorfon and dichlorvos were 0.04 and 0.07 µg kg−1, respectively; the limits of quantification (LOQs) of the two insecticides were both 5 µg kg−1. The average recoveries for three spiked blank samples at 10, 20 and 40 µg kg−1 were in the range 85–106%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) below 10.6%, which falls in a reasonable range for the analysis of the two insecticides in animal-derived foods. The method is fit-for-purpose for the simultaneous determination of residues of trichlorfon and dichlorvos in animal tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The properties of the field emission (FE) from multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in air used to generate the microplasma at near-atmospheric pressure were investigated in a removable gas cell built into a scanning electron microscope. The gaps between the electrodes were adjusted from 5 to 100 μm and the pressure was changed from 0 to 100 kPa. The obtained results have shown that the FE properties of the CNTs at 10 kPa and lower pressures were the same as those in vacuum. At a pressure more than 10 kPa, the FE threshold voltage in air was higher than those in vacuum, and increased with increasing atmospheric pressure. When the FE threshold voltage became higher than that of the gas breakdown, the microplasma was ignited before the FE initiation. Thus, the FE properties of the CNTs in air were stable when the FE potential was lower than the voltage of conventional gas discharge with CNT cathode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplasma was produced in argon gas in a scanning electron microscope at near-atmospheric pressure using a multi-wall carbon nanotube (CNT) film as a cathode. It is demonstrated that with the CNT film used as a cathode, the breakdown voltage was much lower than the breakdown voltage when the conventional cathode made of flat metal film was used and the discharge was highly reproducible. These features of the gas discharge are defined by the field emission from the CNT cathode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis of carbon nanomaterials by pulse microplasma in the chamber of a scanning electron microscope equipped with a special discharge cell is reported. The peak current density of the methane microplasma was higher than 5 kA cm-2, and the pulse width was almost 10 ns. After 5 s operation, there could be observed some carbon nanomaterials deposited on the cathode of the platinum film besides melted spots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]