Description of an aerodynamic levitation apparatus with applications in Earth sciences

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In aerodynamic levitation, solids and liquids are floated in a vertical gas stream. In combination with CO₂-laser heating, containerless melting at high temperature of oxides and silicates is possible. We apply aerodynamic levitation to bulk rocks in preparation for microchemical analyses, and for evaporation and reduction experiments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Liquid silicate droplets (~2 mm) were maintained stable in levitation using a nozzle with a 0.8 mm bore and an opening angle of 60°. The gas flow was ~250 ml min^-1. Rock powders were melted and homogenized for microchemcial analyses. Laser melting produced chemically homogeneous glass spheres. Only highly (e.g. H₂O) and moderately volatile components (Na, K) were partially lost. The composition of evaporated materials was determined by directly combining levitation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. It is shown that the evaporated material is composed of Na > K >> Si. Levitation of metal oxide-rich material in a mixture of H₂and Ar resulted in the exsolution of liquid metal.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Levitation melting is a rapid technique or for the preparation of bulk rock powders for major, minor and trace element analysis. With exception of moderately volatile elements Na and K, bulk rock analyses can be performed with an uncertainty of ± 5% relative. The technique has great potential for the quantitative determination of evaporated materials from silicate melts. Reduction of oxides to metal is a means for the extraction and analysis of siderophile elements from silicates and can be used to better understand the origin of chondritic metal.</p

Quantification and characterisation of porosity in selectively laser melted Al–Si10–Mg using x-ray computed tomography

We used X-ray computed tomography (CT), microscopy and hardness measurements to study Al–Si10–Mg produced by selective laser melting (SLM). Specimens were subject to a series of heat treatments including annealing and precipitation hardening. The specimen interiors were imaged with X-ray CT, allowing the non-destructive quantification and characterisation of pores, including their spatial distribution. The specimens had porosities less than 0.1%, but included some pores with effective cross-sectional diameters up to 260 μm. The largest pores were highly anisotropic, being flat and lying in the plane normal to the build direction. Annealing cycles caused significant coarsening of the microstructure and a reduction of the hardness from (114 ± 3) HV, in the as-built state, to (45 ± 1) HV, while precipitation hardening increased this to a final hardness of (59 ± 1) HV. The pore size and shape distributions were unaffected by the heat treatments. We demonstrate the applicability of CT measurements and quantitative defect analysis for the purposes of SLM process monitoring and refinement

Frequency Conversion Activation on the Mercury Laser

High efficiency frequency conversion while operating at average power is critical for the Mercury laser. We will demonstrate average power frequency conversion of face-cooled DKDP and YCOB crystals using a sapphire heat spreader approach

HIBISCUS: Hydroxychloroquine for the secondary prevention of thrombotic and obstetrical events in primary antiphospholipid syndrome

The relapse rate in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) remains high, i.e. around 20%-21% at 5 years in thrombotic APS and 20-28% in obstetrical APS [2, 3]. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) appears as an additional therapy, as it possesses immunomodulatory and anti-thrombotic various effects [4-16]. Our group recently obtained the orphan designation of HCQ in antiphospholipid syndrome by the European Medicine Agency. Furthermore, the leaders of the project made the proposal of an international project, HIBISCUS, about the use of Hydroxychloroquine in secondary prevention of obstetrical and thrombotic events in primary APS. This study has been launched in several countries and at now, 53 centers from 16 countries participate to this international trial. This trial consists in two parts: a retrospective and a prospective study. The French part of the trial in thrombosis has been granted by the French Minister of Health in December 2015 (the academic trial independent of the pharmaceutical industry PHRC N PAPIRUS) and is coordinated by one of the members of the leading consortium of HIBISCUS

Apport de l’EXAFS à l’étude de l’effet alcalin mixte dans les verres silicates

Nous avons enregistré des spectres de photoabsorption sur des verres appartenant au système ternaire SIO2 - Cs2O - Rb2O au voisinage des seuils de la raie LIII du césium (5012 eV) et de la rale K du rubidium (15200 eV). La comparaison des spectres EXAFS décrit la variation de l’environnement de l’ion alcalin lorsqu’on remplace progressivement un Ion alcalin par un autre

Characterization and modeling of void nucleation by interface decohesion in dual phase steels

International audienceIn situ tensile tests have been carried out during X-ray microtomography imaging of dual phase steels. Void nucleation has been quantified as a function of strain and triaxiality using the obtained three-dimensional images. The Argon criterion of decohesion has been used in a model for nucleation in the case where martensite plays the role of inclusions. This criterion has been modified to include the local stress field and the effect of kinematic hardening present in such a heterogeneous material

Experimental investigation of void coalescence in a dual phase steel using X-ray tomography

International audienceIn situ tensile tests were carried out during X-ray microtomography imaging of a smooth and a notched specimen of dual phase steel. The void coalescence was first qualitatively observed and quantitative data concerning this damage step was then acquired. The void coalescence criteria of Brown and Embury and of Thomason were then tested against the experimental data at both the macroscopic and local levels. Although macroscopic implementation of the criteria gave acceptable results, the local approach was probably closest to the real nature of void coalescence, because it takes into account local coalescence events observed experimentally before final fracture. The correlation between actual coalescing couples of cavities and local implementation of the two criteria showed that the Thomason criterion is probably the best adapted to predict the local coalescence events in the case of the material studied

EXAFS study of zirconia precursors

An original process has been developed for the synthesis and the characterization of spherical zirconia powders having high densifying ability. This technique is based on the nebulization of a zirconium precursor solution followed by a suitable heat treatment. Structural characterization of the starting precursor has been achieved by an in situ EXAFS analysis of the nebulised precursor in the form of an aerosol. We have shown that high purity, chemical homogeneity, particle size and sphericity which are requested for improving the ceramic elaboration, are related to the structural characteristics during the synthesis. Improvement of the mechanical properties of the ceramic relie on a bette knowledge of the pre-sintering steps involving structural transformations of the precursor