Microstructural evaluation of rare-earth-zinc oxide-based varistor ceramics

Zinc oxide varistors are nonlinear voltage dependent ceramic resistors used to suppress and limit transient voltage surges. The work reported in this paper involves the relationship between microstructural characteristics and the varistor performance of ZnO ceramics doped with rare-earth oxides. Samples of these ceramics with different nonlinear current-voltage characteristics, according to the specific chemical composition and sintering parameters, were prepared and microstructurally analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results denote that intergranular phase is rich in rare-earth elements, but its morphology, obtained by selective leaching of ZnO grains (which are only doped with Co), provides evidence that ZnO grains are not completely surrounding by the intergranular phase, also existing ZnO grains are in direct contact with each other, as well as it occurs in conventional varistor system

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved