Modelling mechanical percolation in graphene-reinforced elastomer nanocomposites

Graphene is considered an ideal filler for the production of multifunctional nanocomposites; as a result, considerable efforts have been focused on the evaluation and modeling of its reinforcement characteristics. In this work, we modelled successfully the mechanical percolation phenomenon, observed on a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) reinforced by graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), by designing a new set of equations for filler contents below and above the percolation threshold volume fraction (Vp). The proposed micromechanical model is based on a combination of the well-established shear-lag theory and the rule-of-mixtures and was introduced to analyse the different stages and mechanisms of mechanical reinforcement. It was found that when the GNPs content is below Vp, reinforcement originates from the inherent ability of individual GNPs flakes to transfer stress efficiently. Furthermore, at higher filler contents and above Vp, the nanocomposite materials displayed accelerated stiffening due to the reduction of the distance between adjacent flakes. The model derived herein, was consistent with the experimental data and the reasons why the superlative properties of graphene cannot be fully utilized in this type of composites, were discussed in depth.Comment: 29 pages, 12 figure

Yang-Baxter maps and symmetries of integrable equations on quad-graphs

A connection between the Yang-Baxter relation for maps and the multi-dimensional consistency property of integrable equations on quad-graphs is investigated. The approach is based on the symmetry analysis of the corresponding equations. It is shown that the Yang-Baxter variables can be chosen as invariants of the multi-parameter symmetry groups of the equations. We use the classification results by Adler, Bobenko and Suris to demonstrate this method. Some new examples of Yang-Baxter maps are derived in this way from multi-field integrable equations.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figure

Impact of NOx vehicle emission standards failure on Air Quality in Europe

Vehicle exhaust emission standards have been tightened in the EU for several decades now, in order to protect health and the environment. This has led to a substantial decrease in total pollutant emissions, despite the growing volumes of passenger and freight transport. However, national emissions, particularly of NOx, exceed the ceilings accorded under the Gothenburg Protocol of the UNECE's Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) (EEA 2012) in twelve EU Member States. The main reasons for such exceedances are that more diesel cars have been sold than originally predicted when fixing the targets, and that diesel cars emit much more than expected under real-world driving conditions. The latter appears as a consequence of the effort to achieve high fuel efficiency. While this has largely helped to control CO2 emissions, it was to the detriment of NOx. In this study we estimate what the impact of the different vehicle emission standards has been so far and to predict what the impact of upcoming emission standards will be in the future, using the best current knowledge on road transport activity statistics and emission factors in Europe. We present several sensitivity calculations to reflect the considerable uncertainty about the real-driving NOx emissions of diesel light duty vehicles. The results of this work can be useful in designing both limits for upcoming standards but also in assessing the impact of deviating from such limits. This is necessary in both deciding on the next steps of emission control policy and to relevant air quality prediction models

Yang-Baxter maps and multi-field integrable lattice equations

A variety of Yang-Baxter maps are obtained from integrable multi-field equations on quad-graphs. A systematic framework for investigating this connection relies on the symmetry groups of the equations. The method is applied to lattice equations introduced by Adler and Yamilov and which are related to the nonlinear superposition formulae for the B\"acklund transformations of the nonlinear Schr\"odinger system and specific ferromagnetic models.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, corrected versio

Acoustic radiation controls friction: Evidence from a spring-block experiment

Brittle failures of materials and earthquakes generate acoustic/seismic waves which lead to radiation damping feedbacks that should be introduced in the dynamical equations of crack motion. We present direct experimental evidence of the importance of this feedback on the acoustic noise spectrum of well-controlled spring-block sliding experiments performed on a variety of smooth surfaces. The full noise spectrum is quantitatively explained by a simple noisy harmonic oscillator equation with a radiation damping force proportional to the derivative of the acceleration, added to a standard viscous term.Comment: 4 pages including 3 figures. Replaced with version accepted in PR

Fabrication of integrated planar gunn diode and micro-cooler on GaAs substrate

We demonstrate fabrication of an integrated micro cooler with the planar Gunn diode and characterise its performance. First experimental results have shown a small cooling at the surface of the micro cooler. This is first demonstration of an integrated micro-cooler with a planar Gunn diode

Superconducting Diamond on Silicon Nitride for Device Applications

Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) grown nanocrystalline diamond is an attractive material for the fabrication of devices. For some device architectures, optimisation of its growth on silicon nitride is essential. Here, the effects of three pre-growth surface treatments, often employed as cleaning methods of silicon nitride, were investigated. Such treatments provide control over the surface charge of the substrate through modification of the surface functionality, allowing for the optimisation of electrostatic diamond seeding densities. Zeta potential measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to analyse the silicon nitride surface following each treatment. Exposing silicon nitride to an oxygen plasma offered optimal surface conditions for the electrostatic self-assembly of a hydrogen-terminated diamond nanoparticle monolayer. The subsequent growth of boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond thin films on modified silicon nitride substrates under CVD conditions produced coalesced films for oxygen plasma and solvent treatments, whilst pin-holing of the diamond film was observed following RCA-1 treatment. The sharpest superconducting transition was observed for diamond grown on oxygen plasma treated silicon nitride, demonstrating it to be of the least structural disorder. Modifications to the substrate surface optimise the seeding and growth processes for the fabrication of diamond on silicon nitride devices

Planar gunn diode characterisation and resonators elements to realise oscillator circuits

The paper describes the planar Gunn diode, which is well suited to providing milli-metric and tera hertz sources using microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) technologies. Different planar Gunn electrode geometries are described along with DC, RF and thermal characterisation. To realize the planar high frequency sources there is requirement for high frequency planar resonators, the paper will describe both the radial and new diamond shaped geometries