1,191 research outputs found
Is Small Perfect? Size Limit to Defect Formation in Pyramidal Pt Nanocontacts
We report high resolution transmission electron microscopy and ab initio
calculation results for the defect formation in Pt nanocontacts (NCs). Our
results show that there is a size limit to the existence of twins (extended
structural defects). Defects are always present but blocked away from the tip
axes. The twins may act as scattering plane, influencing contact electron
transmission for Pt NC at room temperature and Ag/Au NC at low temperature.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Entanglement and the nonlinear elastic behavior of forests of coiled carbon nanotubes
Helical or coiled nanostructures have been object of intense experimental and
theoretical studies due to their special electronic and mechanical properties.
Recently, it was experimentally reported that the dynamical response of
foamlike forest of coiled carbon nanotubes under mechanical impact exhibits a
nonlinear, non-Hertzian behavior, with no trace of plastic deformation. The
physical origin of this unusual behavior is not yet fully understood. In this
work, based on analytical models, we show that the entanglement among
neighboring coils in the superior part of the forest surface must be taken into
account for a full description of the strongly nonlinear behavior of the impact
response of a drop-ball onto a forest of coiled carbon nanotubes.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Size Limit Of Defect Formation In Pyramidal Pt Nanocontacts.
We report high resolution transmission electron microscopy and ab initio calculation results for defect formation in sharp pyramidal Pt nanocontacts. Our results show that there is a size limit to the existence of twins (extended structural defects). These defects are always present but blocked away from the tip axes. They may act as scattering planes, influencing the electron conductance for Pt nanocontacts at room temperature and Ag/Au nanocontacts at low temperature (<150 K).9925550
Curved Graphene Nanoribbons: Structure and Dynamics of Carbon Nanobelts
Carbon nanoribbons (CNRs) are graphene (planar) structures with large aspect
ratio. Carbon nanobelts (CNBs) are small graphene nanoribbons rolled up into
spiral-like structures, i. e., carbon nanoscrolls (CNSs) with large aspect
ratio. In this work we investigated the energetics and dynamical aspects of
CNBs formed from rolling up CNRs. We have carried out molecular dynamics
simulations using reactive empirical bond-order potentials. Our results show
that similarly to CNSs, CNBs formation is dominated by two major energy
contribution, the increase in the elastic energy due to the bending of the
initial planar configuration (decreasing structural stability) and the
energetic gain due to van der Waals interactions of the overlapping surface of
the rolled layers (increasing structural stability). Beyond a critical diameter
value these scrolled structures can be even more stable (in terms of energy)
than their equivalent planar configurations. In contrast to CNSs that require
energy assisted processes (sonication, chemical reactions, etc.) to be formed,
CNBs can be spontaneously formed from low temperature driven processes. Long
CNBs (length of 30.0 nm) tend to exhibit self-folded racket-like
conformations with formation dynamics very similar to the one observed for long
carbon nanotubes. Shorter CNBs will be more likely to form perfect scrolled
structures. Possible synthetic routes to fabricate CNBs from graphene membranes
are also addressed
Mechanical Deformation Of Nanoscale Metal Rods: When Size And Shape Matter.
Face centered cubic metals deform mainly by propagating partial dislocations generating planar fault ribbons. How do metals deform if the size is smaller than the fault ribbons? We studied the elongation of Au and Pt nanorods by in situ electron microscopy and ab initio calculations. Planar fault activation barriers are so low that, for each temperature, a minimal rod size is required to become active for releasing elastic energy. Surface effects dominate deformation energetics; system size and shape determine the preferred fault gliding directions which induce different tensile and compressive behavior.10605550
Portuguese Adaptation of Students Engagement in Schools International Scale (SESIS)
The importance of student’s engagement has been recently pointed out in research. However, there has been a lack of engagement assessment instrument, pertaining psychometric qualities. Objective: This paper presents the Portuguese adaptation of the “Student’s Engagement in School International Scale” (SESIS), drawn up from a12 countries international study (Lam et al., 2012; Lam et al., in press). Method: Psychometric properties of this scale were examined with data from 685 students from different grades (6th, 7th, 9th and 10th), from both sexes, and different regions of the country. Results: Factorial analysis of the results, with varimax rotation, lead to three different factors which explain 50.88% of the variance. The scale integrates the original 33 items, and cognitive, affective and behavioural dimensions. For the external validity study, the relationship between student’s engagement in school results and other school variables — academic performance, self-concept — was considered, and significant relations were observed, as expected. Conclusion: The data presented highlights the qualities of SESIS, as well as its usefulness for research purposes. Suggestion: It is suggested the investigation of the extension of SESIS’s three-dimensionality, in future studiesKeywords: Innovation, technology, research projects, etc. [Arial 10-point, justified alignment]
Students’ engagement in school and creativity professed by students and assigned to teachers: A literature review
Este E-Book reúne um conjunto de investigações apresentadas no “I Congresso Internacional Envolvimento dos Alunos na Escola: Perspetivas da Psicologia e Educação” (ICIEAE), organizado no âmbito do “Projeto PTDC/CPE-CED/114362/2009 - Envolvimento dos Alunos na Escola: Diferenciação e Promoção” (EAE-DP), financiado pela Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT).This article reviews the literature on the relation between creativity (as a personal and
a contextual variable) and students’ engagement in school. In order to describe the
state of art of student’s engagement in school and creativity, we prepared a narrative
review. In general, literature shows a prevalence of studies relating creativity and
giftedness; students with above average skills are, as a rule, characterized, among
other criteria, by the presence of creativity and the existence of high motivation
for learning. As a personal variable, creativity relates positively with self-concept
and academic performance, appearing as an aspect worth encouraging in the student. Moreover, studies on the impact of the learning environments on student’s
performance also suggest a positive relationship between the classroom climate
and academic outcomes. Although studies on the relationship between creativity
and the students’ behavior appear inconsistent, the teacher’s creativity, applied
to the teaching-learning process, and perceived by the student, appears related to
school satisfaction and academic performance. This brief review highlights the value
of including creativity in teaching practices, drawing attention to the lack of studies
and the need to develop research, both relational and quasi-experimental, on the
relationship between creativity and students’ engagement in school and its effects
Dynamics Of The Formation Of Carbon Nanotube Serpentines.
Recently, Geblinger et al. [Nat. Nanotechnol. 3, 195 (2008)] reported the experimental realization of carbon nanotube S-like shaped nanostructures, the so-called carbon nanotube serpentines. We report here results from multimillion fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of their formation. We consider one-μm-long carbon nanotubes placed on stepped substrates with and without a catalyst nanoparticle on the top free end of the tube. A force is applied to the upper part of the tube during a short period of time and turned off; then the system is set free to evolve in time. Our results show that these conditions are sufficient to form robust serpentines and validates the general features of the falling spaghetti model proposed to explain their formation.11010550
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