Conventional Vickers and true instrumented indentation hardness determined by instrumented indentation tests

We evaluate Vickers hardness and true instrumented indentation test (IIT) hardness of 24 metals over a wide range of mechanical properties using just IIT parameters by taking into account the real contact morphology beneath the Vickers indenter. Correlating the conventional Vickers hardness, indentation contact morphology, and IIT parameters for the 24 metals reveals relationships between contact depths and apparent material properties. We report the conventional Vickers and true IIT hardnesses measured only from IIT contact depths; these agree well with directly measured hardnesses within ±6% for Vickers hardness and ±10% for true IIT hardness

Sources of Value Gains in Minority Equity Investments by Private Equity Funds: Evidence from Block Share Acquisitions

Using a large sample of block share acquisitions made by private equity (PE) funds over the 1990 to 2006 period, we examine the sources of value gains in PE minority equity investments. We find that compared to non-PE acquirers, PE acquirers are more likely to place representatives with finance experience on a target’s board, particularly when the target performs poorly or when it has more pronounced agency problems. PE acquirers are also more likely to place representatives with experience in the target’s industry on the target’s board when the target has more complex operations (e.g., multiple segments or higher R&D intensity). The targets in PE acquisitions, particularly those whose boards have representatives from PE acquirers, realize both higher abnormal announcement returns and better post-acquisition operating performance than do targets in other types of acquisitions. Target announcement abnormal returns and post-acquisition operating performance are also higher when PE-appointed directors have expertise in the target’s industry, when they sit on the boards of poorly performing targets, or when they sit on the boards of targets with higher R&D intensity. Thes

Effect of grain boundaries on ion migration in stabilized δ-Bi2O3 thin- film electrolyte

Solid electrolytes with high oxygen-ion conductivity are of significant interest for many applications. Over the past several decades, numerous studies have been conducted on the effect of grain boundaries on the process of increasing the ionic conductivity of solid electrolytes. Given that nanocrystalline thin- or thick-films have been investigated in relation to lowering the operating temperature of solid electrolytes to less than 650 °C, more rigorous and quantitative assessments are necessary to determine how the ion transport characteristics are affected by the numerous interfaces formed in nano-grains devices. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

A STUDY OF MOTION CHARACTERISTICS LED BY CONNECTION METHODS AND POSITIONS OF A WAVE-ENERGY CONVERTER IN A REGULAR WAVE

The potential of wave power as an alternative energy resource is being studied to address problems associated with fossil fuel exhaustion and environmental pollution. In this paper, to improve the power generation efficiency of a floating-type wave-energy converter that has an activating body, the effects of the positions of a connecting bridge and different connecting methods between a main body and the activating body of the wave-energy converter were studied. In order to research the activating body’s motion characteristics that are caused by the changes of connecting bridge’s position and connecting methods; hinged or fixed connector, the wave-energy converter was modeled and simulated by using a commercial software. The moment and angular velocity of the axis of power generation were measured from the results of simulations and then the power outputs were calculated based on the moment and angular velocity. The outputs, which were analyzed under several regular wave conditions, were compared to each other

Electrochemical properties of composite cathodes using Sm doped layered perovskite for intermediate temperature-operating solid oxide fuel cell

The authors are grateful for the support of the Basic Science Research Program, part of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (No. 2014R1A1A1004163).SmBaCo2O5+d (SBCO) showed the lowest observed Area Specific Resistance (ASR) value in the LnBaCo2O5+d (Ln: Pr, Nd, Sm, and Gd) oxide system for the overall temperature ranges tested. The ASR of a composite cathode (mixture of SBCO and Ce0.9Gd0.1O2−d) on a Ce0.9Gd0.1O2−d (CGO91) electrolyte decreased with respect to the CGO91 content; the percolation limit was also achieved for a 50 wt% SBCO and 50 wt% CGO91 (SBCO50) composite cathode. The ASRs of SBCO50 on the dense CGO91 electrolyte in the overall temperature range of 500 to 750 °C were relatively lower than those of SBCO50 on the CGO91 coated dense 8 mol % yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) electrolyte for the same temperature range. From 750 °C and for all higher temperatures tested, however, the ASRs of SBCO50 on the CGO91 coated dense 8YSZ electrolyte were lower than those of the CGO91 electrolyte. The maximum power densities of SBCO50 on the Ni-8YSZ/8YSZ/CGO91 buffer layer were 1.034 W cm−2 and 0.611 W cm−2 at 800 °C and 700 °C.PostprintPeer reviewe

Stress-induced Cardiomyopathy during Pulmonary Resection (Takotsubo Syndrome) - A case report -

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy is caused by emotional or physical stressors and mimics acute myocardial infarction, though Stress-induced cardiomyopathy is characterized by reversible left ventricular (LV) apical ballooning in the absence of significant coronary artery disease. We describe a 51-year-old male who underwent left upper lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer, and during which cardiogenic arrest occurred due to stress-induced cardiomyopathy, successfully managed by intra-aortic balloon pumping and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation