Combinatorial Discovery of Irradiation Damage Tolerant Nano-structured W-based alloys

One of the challenges in fusion reactors is the discovery of plasma facing materials capable of withstanding extreme conditions, such as radiation damage and high heat flux. Development of fusion materials can be a daunting task since vast combinations of microstructures and compositions need to be explored, each of which requires trial-and-error based irradiation experiments and materials characterizations. Here, we utilize combinatorial experiments that allow rapid and systematic characterizations of composition-microstructure dependent irradiation damage behaviors of nanostructured tungsten alloys. The combinatorial materials library of W-Re-Ta alloys was synthesized, followed by the high-throughput experiments for probing irradiation damages to the mechanical, thermal, and structural properties of the alloys. This highly efficient technique allows rapid identification of composition ranges with excellent damage tolerance. We find that the distribution of implanted He clusters can be significantly altered by the addition of Ta and Re, which play a critical role in determining property changes upon irradiation

Exploring Different Roles of Information Technology for Increasing Productivity: Manufacturing vs. Service Industries

The phenomenon “productivity paradox” indicates that investment in information technology is not positively associated with financial performance. However, there have been debates as to whether this phenomenon is actually valid or not. In this study, we explore the different roles of IT for increasing productivity in manufacturing and service industries using the data mining method called Weka (Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis). We found that there exist both similarities and differences between the two industries. The role of CIO (Chief Information Officer) is addressed, as well as the role of E-learning Systems associated with productivity in the service industry. Finally, the vulnerability of small businesses to the IT productivity paradox is discussed

Enhancing the critical temperature of strained Niobium films

The study of the high critical temperature ( T _c ) of hydrogen compounds under high pressure has resulted in a considerable focus on Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer superconductors. Nb has the highest T _c among the elemental metals at ambient pressure, so reviewing Nb films again is worthwhile. In this study, we investigated the factors that determine the T _c of Nb films by strain introduction and carrier doping. We deposited Nb films of various thicknesses onto Si substrates and evaluated the T _c variation with thickness. In-plane compressive strain in the (110) plane due to residual stress reduced the T _c . First-principles calculations showed that adjusting the density of states at the Fermi level is key for both strain-induced suppression and doping-induced enhancement of the Nb T _c . The application of hydrostatic pressure compensated for the intrinsic strain of the film and increased its T _c , which could also be enhanced by increasing the hole concentration with an electric double-layer transistor. A liquid electrolyte should be used as a pressure medium for applying hydrostatic pressure to increase the T _c of correlated materials, where this increase results from changes in material structure and carrier concentration