Studying alumina boundary migration using combined microscopy techniques

Thermal grooving and migration of grain boundaries in alumina have been investigated using a variety of microscopy techniques. Using two different methods, polycrystalline alumina was used to investigate wet, (implying the presence of a glassy phase), and dry grain boundaries. In the first, single-crystal Al2O3 was hot-pressed via liquid phase sintering (LPS) to polycrystalline alumina with an anorthite glass film at the interface. Pulsed laser deposition was used to deposit approximately 100-nm thick glass films. Specimens were annealed in air at 1650°C for 20 h to induce boundary migration. Boundary characterization was carried out using visible light (VLM) and scanning electron (SEM) microscopies. Effects on migration due to surface orientation of grains were investigated using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The second method dealt with heat treating dry boundaries in polycrystalline alumina to monitor boundary migration behavior via remnant thermal grooves. Heat treatments were conducted at 1650°C for 30 min. The same region of the sample was mapped using VLM and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and followed over a series of 30 min heat treatments. Boundary migration through a pore trapped inside the grain matrix was of particular interest

Implementing Electronic Tablet-Based Education of Acute Care Patients

Poor education-related discharge preparedness for patients with heart failure is believed to be a major cause of avoidable rehospitalizations. Technology-based applications offer innovative educational approaches that may improve educational readiness for patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings; however, a number of challenges exist when implementing electronic devices in the clinical setting. Implementation challenges include processes for "on-boarding" staff, mediating risks of cross-contamination with patients' device use, and selling the value to staff and health system leaders to secure the investment in software, hardware, and system support infrastructure. Strategies to address these challenges are poorly described in the literature. The purpose of this article is to present a staff development program designed to overcome challenges in implementing an electronic, tablet-based education program for patients with heart failure

Contamination Control and Assay Results for the Majorana Demonstrator Ultra Clean Components

The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR is a neutrinoless double beta decay experiment utilizing enriched Ge-76 detectors in 2 separate modules inside of a common solid shield at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. The DEMONSTRATOR has utilized world leading assay sensitivities to develop clean materials and processes for producing ultra-pure copper and plastic components. This experiment is now operating, and initial data provide new insights into the success of cleaning and processing. Post production copper assays after the completion of Module 1 showed an increase in U and Th contamination in finished parts compared to starting bulk material. A revised cleaning method and additional round of surface contamination studies prior to Module 2 construction have provided evidence that more rigorous process control can reduce surface contamination. This article describes the assay results and discuss further studies to take advantage of assay capabilities for the purpose of maintaining ultra clean fabrication and process design.Comment: Proceedings of Low Radioactivity Techniques (LRT May 2017, Seoul