3,993 research outputs found
Evaluation of selected chemical processes for production of low-cost silicon, phase 3
A Process Development Unit (PDU), which consisted of the four major units of the process, was designed, installed, and experimentally operated. The PDU was sized to 50MT/Yr. The deposition took place in a fluidized bed reactor. As a consequences of the experiments, improvements in the design an operation of these units were undertaken and their experimental limitations were partially established. A parallel program of experimental work demonstrated that Zinc can be vaporized for introduction into the fluidized bed reactor, by direct induction-coupled r.f. energy. Residual zinc in the product can be removed by heat treatment below the melting point of silicon. Current efficiencies of 94 percent and above, and power efficiencies around 40 percent are achievable in the laboratory-scale electrolysis of ZnCl2
Evaluation of selected chemical processes for production of low-cost silicon
Plant construction costs and manufacturing costs were estimated for the production of solar-grade silicon by the reduction of silicon tetrachloride in a fluidized bed of seed particles, and several modifications of the iodide process using either thermal decomposition on heated filaments (rods) or hydrogen reduction in a fluidized bed of seed particles. Energy consumption data for the zinc reduction process and each of the iodide process options are given and all appear to be acceptable from the standpoint of energy pay back. Information is presented on the experimental zinc reduction of SiCl4 and electrolytic recovery of zinc from ZnCl2. All of the experimental work performed thus far has supported the initial assumption as to technical feasibility of producing semiconductor silicon by the zinc reduction or iodide processes proposed. The results of a more thorough thermodynamic evaluation of the iodination of silicon oxide/carbon mixtures are presented which explain apparent inconsistencies in an earlier cursory examination of the system
Evaluation of selected chemical processes for production of low-cost silicon, phase 2
Potential designs for an integrated fluidized-bed reactor/zinc vaporizer/SiCl4 preheater unit are being considered and heat-transfer calculations have been initiated on versions of the zinc vaporizer section. Estimates of the cost of the silicon prepared in the experimental facility have been made for projected capacities of 25, 50, 75, and 100 metric ton of silicon. A 35 percent saving is obtained in going from 25 metric ton/year to the 50 metric ton/year level. This analysis, coupled with the recognition that use of two reactors in the 50 metric ton/year version allows for continued operation (at reduced capacity) with one reactor shut down, has resulted in a recommendation for adoption of an experimental facility capacity of 50 metric ton/year or greater. At this stage, the change to a larger size facility would not increase the design costs appreciably. In the experimental support program, the effects of seed bed particle size and depth were studied, and operation of the miniplant with a new zinc vaporizer was initiated, revealing the need for modification of the latter
The Electronic and Superconducting Properties of Oxygen-Ordered MgB2 compounds of the form Mg2B3Ox
Possible candidates for the Mg2B3Ox nanostructures observed in bulk of
polycrystalline MgB2 (Ref.1) have been studied using a combination of
Z-contrast imaging, electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and
first-principles calculations. The electronic structures, phonon modes, and
electron phonon coupling parameters are calculated for two oxygen-ordered MgB2
compounds of composition Mg2B3O and Mg2B3O2, and compared with those of MgB2.
We find that the density of states for both Mg2B3Ox structures show very good
agreement with EELS, indicating that they are excellent candidates to explain
the observed coherent oxygen precipitates. Incorporation of oxygen reduces the
transition temperature and gives calculated TC values of 18.3 K and 1.6 K for
Mg2B3O and Mg2B3O2, respectively.Comment: Submitted to PR
Long-term chromospheric activity in southern M dwarfs: Gl 229 A and Gl 752 A
Several late-type stars present activity cycles similar to that of the Sun.
However, these cycles have been mostly studied in F to K stars. Due to their
small intrinsic brightness, M dwarfs are not usually the targets of long-term
observational studies of stellar activity, and their long-term variability is
generally not known. In this work, we study the long-term activity of two M
dwarf stars: Gl 229 A (M1/2) and Gl 752 A (M2.5). We employ medium resolution
echelle spectra obtained at the 2.15 m telescope at the Argentinian observatory
CASLEO between the years 2000 and 2010 and photometric observations obtained
from the ASAS database. We analyzed Ca \II K line-core fluxes and the mean V
magnitude with the Lomb-Scargle periodogram, and we obtain possible activity
cycles of 4 yr and 7 yr for Gl 229 A and Gl 752 A respectively.Comment: Accepted for publication by Astronomical Journal (AJ
Development of a chromium-thoria alloy
Low temperature ductility and high temperature strength of pure chromium and chromium-thoria alloy prepared from vapor deposited powder
The atomic structure of large-angle grain boundaries and in and their transport properties
We present the results of a computer simulation of the atomic structures of
large-angle symmetrical tilt grain boundaries (GBs) (misorientation
angles \q{36.87}{^{\circ}} and \q{53.13}{^{\circ}}),
(misorientation angles \q{22.62}{^{\circ}} and \q{67.38}{^{\circ}}). The
critical strain level criterion (phenomenological criterion)
of Chisholm and Pennycook is applied to the computer simulation data to
estimate the thickness of the nonsuperconducting layer enveloping
the grain boundaries. The is estimated also by a bond-valence-sum
analysis. We propose that the phenomenological criterion is caused by the
change of the bond lengths and valence of atoms in the GB structure on the
atomic level. The macro- and micro- approaches become consistent if the
is greater than in earlier papers. It is predicted that the
symmetrical tilt GB \theta = \q{53.13}{^{\circ}} should demonstrate
a largest critical current across the boundary.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure
Measuring the Hole State Anisotropy in MgB2 by Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy
We have examined polycrystalline MgB2 by electron energy loss spectroscopy
(EELS) and density of state calculations. In particular, we have studied two
different crystal orientations, [110] and [001] with respect to the incident
electron beam direction, and found significant changes in the near-edge
fine-structure of the B K-edge. Density functional theory suggests that the
pre-peak of the B K-edge core loss is composed of a mixture of pxy and pz hole
states and we will show that these contributions can be distinguished only with
an experimental energy resolution better than 0.5 eV. For conventional TEM/STEM
instruments with an energy resolution of ~1.0 eV the pre-peak still contains
valuable information about the local charge carrier concentration that can be
probed by core-loss EELS. By considering the scattering momentum transfer for
different crystal orientations, it is possible to analytically separate pxy and
pz components from of the experimental spectra With careful experiments and
analysis, EELS can be a unique tool measuring the superconducting properties of
MgB2, doped with various elements for improved transport properties on a
sub-nanometer scale.Comment: 26 Pages, 5 figures, 1 table. Submited to PR
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