Applications of analytical electron microscopy to guide the design of boron carbide

Compositional analysis of boron carbide on nanometer length scales to examine or interpret atomic mechanisms, for example, solid-state amorphization or grain-boundary segregation, is challenging. This work reviews advancements in high-resolution microanalysis to characterize multiple generations of boron carbide. First, ζ-factor microanalysis will be introduced as a powerful (scanning) transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM) analytical framework to accurately characterize boron carbide. Three case studies involving the application of ζ-factor microanalysis will then be presented: (1) accurate stoichiometry determination of B-doped boron carbide using ζ-factor microanalysis and electron energy loss spectroscopy, (2) normalized quantification of silicon grain-boundary segregation in Si-doped boron carbide, and (3) calibration of a scanning electron microscope X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS) system to measure compositional homogeneity differences of B/Si-doped arc-melted boron carbides in the as-melted and annealed conditions. Overall, the improvement and application of advanced analytical tools have helped better understand processing–microstructure–property relationships and successfully manufacture high-performance ceramics.     

IRS辅助的SWIPT系统中基于能效优先的波束成形设计与优化

以智能反射面(intelligent reflecting surface,IRS)辅助的无线携能通信(simultaneous wireless information and power transfer,SWIPT)系统为背景,研究了该系统中基于能效优先的多天线发送端有源波束成形与IRS无源波束成形联合设计与优化方法。以最大化接收端的最小能效为优化目标,构造在发送端功率、接收端能量阈值、IRS相移等多约束下的非线性优化问题,用交替方向乘子法(alternating direction method of multipliers,ADMM)求解。采用Dinkelbach算法转化目标函数,通过奇异值分解(singular value decomposition,SVD)和半定松弛(semi-definite relaxation,SDR)得到发送端有源波束成形向量。采用SDR得到IRS相移矩阵与反射波束成形向量。结果表明,该系统显著降低了系统能量收集(energy harvesting,EH)接收端的能量阈值。当系统总电路功耗为?15 dBm时,所提方案的用户能效为300 KB/J。当IRS反射阵源数与发送天线数均为最大值时,系统可达最大能效。     

广义正交码索引调制系统的性能分析

摘 要：为了提高码索引调制（code index modulation，CIM）系统的传输效率，提出了一种具有更低复杂度的单输入单输出（single input single output，SISO）的广义正交码索引调制（generalized orthogonal code index modulation，GQCIM）系统。CIM 系统使用扩频码和星座符号传输信息，但只能激活两个扩频码索引和一个调制符号。而 GQCIM 系统以一种新颖的方式克服了只激活一个调制符号的限制，同时充分利用了调制符号的正交性，增加扩频码索引以传输更多的额外信息位，提高了系统的传输效率。此外，分析了GQCIM系统的理论性能，推导了误码率性能的上界。通过蒙特卡罗仿真验证了GQCIM系统的性能，对比发现GQCIM系统的理论和仿真性能一致。而且在相同的传输效率下，结果显示GQCIM系统的性能优于同样具有正交性的调制系统，如广义码索引调制（generalized code index modulation，GCIM）系统、CIM系统、码索引调制-正交空间调制（code index modulation aided quadrature spatial modulation，CIM-QSM）系统、码索引调制-正交空间调制（code index modulation aided spatial modulation，CIM-SM）系统、脉冲索引调制（pulse index modulation，PIM）系统。     

基于电磁超材料的微波单向传输圆波导设计

微波隔离器是微波系统中不可或缺的器件,常见的隔离器都采用了铁氧体旋磁材料配合吸收负载实现电磁波的单向传输。这种器件虽然可以使电磁波单向传输,但是并不能改善能量的浪费问题,还增加了系统的复杂度。针对上述问题,本文基于电磁超材料设计了一种微波单向传输的圆波导,使用波导内壁涂覆折射率逐渐变化的材料来影响电磁波的传输特性,从而实现电磁波单向传输。本文给出了微波单向传输的电磁计算模型和超材料结构及属性,并通过简化这种超材料使其易于实现;最后通过电磁仿真分析了这种材料的电磁特性并给出了这种材料的实现方法。     

Evaluation of atmospheric galvanic aluminum corrosion in electrical transmission towers at different sites in the Valparaíso region,Chile. Wire-on-Bolt Test (CLIMAT)

This study evaluates environmental aggressiveness and atmospheric galvanic corrosivity categories in Chile (Classification of Industrial and Marine ATmospheres test) by installing bolts in electrical transmission towers in the Valparaiso region across four exposure sites: Playa Ancha, San Sebastián, Las Vegas, and San Felipe. Classifications of marine corrosion index (MCI), industrial corrosion index (ICI), and atmospheric corrosion index (ACI) used different galvanic couples: aluminum/steel for MCI, aluminum/copper for ICI, and aluminum/polyethylene for ACI. Corrosion indices varied by season (summer, autumn, winter, and spring), for which couples were exchanged every 3 months. Intraseason variation depended mainly on the meteorochemical variables of the zone, the Cl⁻/SO₂ ratio, and the presence of general and pitting corrosion in the aluminum. The results indicate that, regardless of environmental condition, the aluminum in Al/steel (MCI) and Al/copper (ICI) couples presented a higher corrosion rate than when not forming a galvanic couple (ACI). Moreover, under higher environmental chloride, these differences increase. The Playa Ancha station presented the highest ACI.     

On the Catalytic Activity of Sn Monomers and Dimers at Graphene Edges and the Synchronized Edge Dependence of Diffusing Atoms in Sn Dimers

In this study, in situ transmission electron microscopy is performed to study the interaction between single (monomer) and paired (dimer) Sn atoms at graphene edges. The results reveal that a single Sn atom can catalyze both the growth and etching of graphene by the addition and removal of C atoms respectively. Additionally, the frequencies of the energetically favorable configurations of an Sn atom at a graphene edge, calculated using density functional theory calculations, are compared with experimental observations and are found to be in good agreement. The remarkable dynamic processes of binary atoms (dimers) are also investigated and is the first such study to the best of the knowledge. Dimer diffusion along the graphene edges depends on the graphene edge termination. Atom pairs (dimers) involving an armchair configuration tend to diffuse with a synchronized shuffling (step-wise shift) action, while dimer diffusion at zigzag edge terminations show a strong propensity to collapse the dimer with each atom diffusing in opposite directions (monomer formation). Moreover, the data reveals the role of C feedstock availability on the choice a single Sn atom makes in terms of graphene growth or etching. This study advances the understanding single atom catalytic activity at graphene edges.     

基于K-means和SOM的水下传感器数据采集方法

随着海洋资源勘探和海洋污染物监控工作的开展，水文数据的监测和采集等已经成为重要的研究方向。其中，水下无线传感器网络在水文数据采集过程中起着举足轻重的作用。本文研究的是水下无线传感器二维监测网络模型中，传感器节点数据采集的问题，其设计方法是通过自组织映射（Self-organizing mapping，SOM）对传感器节点进行路径最优化处理，结合优化的路径图形和K-means算法找到路径内部聚合点，利用聚合点和传感器的节点得到传感器通信半径内的数据采集点，最后通过SOM得到水下机器人（Autonomous underwater vehicle，AUV）到各个数据采集点采集数据的最优路径。经过实验验证，在水下1 200 m×1 750 m范围内布置52个传感器节点的情景下，数据采集点相比于传感器节点路径规划采用相同的采集顺序得到的路径优化了6.7%；对数据采集点重新进行自组织路径规划得到的路径比传感器结点路径的最优解提高了12.2%。增加传感器节点的数量，其结果也大致相同，因此采用该方法可以提高水下机器人采集数据的效率。     

Growth mechanism and gas-sensing characteristics of organic-additive-free zinc oxide of various shapes

Zinc oxide is widely used in gas sensors, solar cells, and photocatalysts because of its wide bandgap and exciton binding energy of 60 meV in various metal oxides. To use ZnO as a gas sensor, it is necessary to synthesize it with surface defects and a large specific surface area. In this study, hydrothermal synthesis without surfactants was employed to obtain organic-additive-free ZnO. For morphology control, we varied the ratio of the hydroxide ion concentration to the zinc ion concentration. To confirm the growth mechanism of ZnO, we performed X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy analyses. Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence measurements were performed to analyze the surface properties. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method and probe stations were used to measure the specific surface area and sensitivity of the gas sensor, respectively. The results confirmed that flower-shaped ZnO is the most suitable gas-sensing material.     

Imperative role of electron microscopy in toxicity assessment: A review

Electron microscope (EM) was developed in 1931 and since then microscopical examination of both the biological and non-biological samples has been revolutionized. Modifications in electron microscopy techniques, such as scanning EM and transmission EM, have widened their applicability in the various sectors such as understanding of drug toxicity, development of mechanism, criminal site investigation, and characterization of the nano-molecule. The present review summarizes its role in important aspects such as toxicity assessment and disease diagnosis in special reference to SARS-COV2. In the biological system, EM studies have elucidated the impact of toxicants at the ultra-structural level in various tissue in conformity to physiological alterations. Thus, EM can be concluded as an important tool in toxicity assessment and disease prognosis.     

光纤有线电视在乡村振兴中的作用

2018年初,我国提出“乡村振兴”战略,此战略目的是增强农村农业发展的新活力,从而加速推进其现代化进程。光纤有线电视因具有损耗小、传输距离远、频带宽、传输容量大、抗电磁干扰等实用优势,并在贯彻及落实着“社会效益优先,两个效益统一”的原则下在社会、经济及文化等方面助力着乡村的振兴。