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At least 451 records · Page 25

Study of influence of plastic scintillators thicknesses to detect Beta particles and Gamma radiation by means of spectral analysis of {sup 90}Sr, {sup 90}Y and {sup 137}Cs sources

The Nuclear and Energy Research Institute - IPEN, offers post-graduate programs, namely: Nuclear Technology - Applications (TNA), Nuclear Technology - Materials (TNM), Nuclear Technology - Reactors (TNR). The Institute programs mission is to form expert technicians, physicists and engineers with a strong knowledge in their discipline to work in the nuclear area. The course: 'Theoretical Fundamentals and Practices of the Instrumentation used in Nuclear Data Acquisition' covers the use of laboratory nuclear instrumentation and the accomplishment of experiments to obtain nuclear parameters. One of these experimental exercises is object of this work: 'Study of influence of plastic scintillators to detect Beta particles and Gamma radiation by means of spectral analysis of {sup 90}Sr, {sup 90}Y and {sup 137}Cs sources'. The use of scintillators plastic for the detection has the advantage of low cost, high mechanical strength, is not hygroscopic and can be manufactured in large volumes. This work aims to present the analysis of relative efficiency of detection of plastic scintillators of various thicknesses for beta particles and gamma radiation by the spectrum of {sup 137}Cs and {sup 90}Sr. Due to lack of resolution of the detectors plastic scintillators we worked with relative efficiency. The evaluation was done by reading deposited energy, using the software MAESTRO, for each detector thickness. For beta particles was observed an ideal thickness around 3 mm and the better photon efficiency was observed with increasing the thickness of the detector. The present experiment does not intend to establish a new technique for this subject: it solely aims student's practical exercises in nuclear properties of elements and detectors being part of the nuclear experimental course. (authors)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Phototunable Lignin Plastics to Enable Recyclability

The accumulation of non-degradable petrochemical plastics imposes a significant threat to the environment and ecosystems. We addressed this challenge by designing a new type of phototunable plastics based on the unique lignin chemistry to enable readily end-life recycling. The advanced material design leveraged the efficient photocatalytic lignin depolymerization by ZnO nanoparticles to build lignin-polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-ZnO blends. We first demonstrated the highly effective phototunable lignin depolymerization in the complex polymer blend matrix and explored the molecular mechanisms. The technical barriers of mechanical property and recycling processing were then addressed by a new blend design with lignin core grafted with PMMA polymer. The new process has resulted in a new type of PMMA-g-lignin blend, which significantly improved the mechanical properties, making it comparable to PMMA alone. More importantly, the mechanical properties of the UV-treated blend decreased drastically in the new design, whereas the properties did not reduce in the non-grafted blends upon UV exposure. The results highlighted that the new blend design based on graftization maximized the impact of lignin depolymerization on blend structure and recyclability. Based on the results, we developed a process integrating UV and alkaline treatments to recycle PMMA for plastics and fractionated lignin for bioconversion or other applications in the new phototunable plastics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Life Cycle Analysis of Extruded Films Based on Poly(lactic acid)/Cellulose Nanocrystal/Limonene: A Comparative Study with ATBC Plasticized PLA/OMMT Systems

Life cycle analysis (LCA) of limonene plasticized poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films containing cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) extracted, by acid hydrolysis, from Phormium tenax leaf fibres, was assessed and compared with the results of acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) plasticized PLA films, having equivalent mechanical properties, containing organo-modified montmorillonite (OMMT). Eco-Indicator 99 tool has been adopted as the main method for life cycle assessment. Results indicated that, despite CNC are biobased fillers obtained by natural sources, the related chemical extraction leads to a large environmental footprint and a relatively relevant energy expense. LCA characterization of these films demonstrated that the environmental impact of PLA/limonene film reinforced with 1% in weight of CNC (PLA/CNC/limonene) is comparable to the environmental impact of polylactic acid films reinforced with OMMT and plasticized with a petroleum based plasticizer (ATBC) (PLA/OMTT/ATBC). A “cradle to gate” approach has been considered for both the film typologies.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Biaxial Bending of an Isotropic Plate with Through Rectilinear Crack with Regard for the Width of the Contact Zone of its Edges and in the Presence of Plastic Zones Near its Tips

We pose and solve the problem of the biaxial bending of an isotropic plate with through rectilinear crack by distributed bending moments applied at infinity. The edges of the crack are in contact over the zone of constant width and plastic zones are formed near the crack tips. By using the Tresca plasticity conditions in the form of a surface layer and a plastic hinge, we determine the length of the plastic zone and the crack opening displacements near the tips. The numerical analysis of the problem is performed.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Effect of Plastic Deformation on Passivation Characteristics of Type 304 Stainless Steel

Electrochemical response of Type 304 stainless steel, with different levels of plastic deformation, was investigated in solutions containing different amounts of H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} and KSCN at room temperature. Potentiodynamic polarization and double-loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (DL-EPR) techniques were used to characterize different levels of plastic deformation. The results have indicated that DL-EPR values and passivation current density increased with increase in plastic deformation. The DL-EPR values were correlated well with hardness and fraction of strain-induced martensite. Attack during DL-EPR tests occurred on strain regions within the matrix such as dislocations in austenite and martensite and/or interface between austenite and martensite. No well-defined correlation was observed between the levels of plastic deformation and potentiodynamic polarization behavior.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Interface-Driven Plasticity in Metal–Ceramic Nanolayered Composites: Direct Validation of Multiscale Deformation Modeling via In Situ Indentation in TEM

Here, we present in situ indentation in a transmission electron microscope on Al-TiN multilayers with individual layer thicknesses of 50 nm and 2.7 nm to explore the effect of length scales on the plastic co-deformability of a metal and a ceramic. At 50 nm, plasticity was confined to the Al layers with brittle fracture in the TiN layers. At 5 nm and below, cracking in TiN was suppressed with co-deformation evident in both layers. The in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) straining results demonstrate a profound size effect in enhancing plastic co-deformability in nanoscale metal-ceramic multilayers, as well as direct validation of ex situ and 3-D elastic–plastic deformation models.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Identification of crystal plasticity model parameters by multi-objective optimization integrating microstructural evolution and mechanical data

Crystal plasticity models evolve a polycrystalline yield surface using meso-scale descriptions of deformation mechanisms. The activation of deformation mechanisms is governed by crystallography and a set of model parameters, which are typically calibrated through the fitting of mechanical data such as stress–strain curves and elastic lattice strains. Microstructural data such as phase fractions and texture evolution are used for verifying crystal plasticity parameters. In this study, we use a multi-objective genetic algorithm to identify hardening parameters from flow stress curves with an option to incorporate texture into the optimization approach. Robust, generalized objective functions are developed and used to identify sets of parameters pertaining to dislocation density-based hardening laws in visco-plastic and elasto-plastic self-consistent (VPSC and EPSC) homogenization models. First, the parameters are identified for pure Nb directly from texture using an objective function based on generalized spherical harmonics. Since texture evolution is driven by the relative contribution of active slip systems, the parameters governing the evolution of slip resistance ratios can be recovered from fitting discrete textures at a series of strains. Next, a comprehensive set of load reversal data for dual phase (DP) 780 steel is used to fit a hardening law and a back-stress law in EPSC. Finally, parameters pertaining to a complex hardening law for the evolution of slip and twinning in pure α-Ti are identified. Remarkably, using texture as an objective in combination with stress–strain objectives constrains the model of Ti to fully reproduce not only stress–strain and texture evolution but also hierarchical twinning measurements as a function of initial grain size and texture. Furthermore, given an appropriate model fit to representative experimental texture evolution, underlying twin volume fractions contributing to texture evolution can be predicted.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Geometric learning for computational mechanics Part II: Graph embedding for interpretable multiscale plasticity

The history-dependent behaviors of classical plasticity models are often driven by internal variables evolved according to phenomenological laws. The difficulty to interpret how these internal variables represent a history of deformation, the lack of direct measurement of these internal variables for calibration and validation, and the weak physical underpinning of those phenomenological laws have long been criticized as barriers to creating realistic models. In this work, geometric machine learning on graph data (e.g. finite element solutions) is used as a means to establish a connection between nonlinear dimensional reduction techniques and plasticity models. Geometric learning-based encoding on graphs allows the embedding of rich time-history data onto a low-dimensional Euclidean space such that the evolution of plastic deformation can be predicted in the embedded feature space. Finally, a corresponding decoder can then convert these low-dimensional internal variables back into a weighted graph such that the dominating topological features of plastic deformation can be observed and analyzed.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Comparison of three state-of-the-art crystal plasticity based deformation twinning models for magnesium alloys

In magnesium alloys, deformation twinning and its interactions with dislocation slip are responsible for a sigmoidal shape stress–strain behavior and an asymmetrical tension–compression yield strength in magnesium alloys. The sensitivity of twinning to the underlying microstructure renders the crystal plasticity method the most commonly adopted modeling approach for magnesium-twinning. This paper compares three state-of-the-art crystal plasticity-based twinning models from the literature, namely the elastic-viscoplastic self-consistent twinning-detwinning (EVPSC-TDT) model, crystal plasticity finite element model based on enhanced predominate twin reorientation approach (CPFE-ePTR), and the crystal plasticity finite element model based on “discrete twinning” approach (CPFE-DT). A polycrystalline microstructure is simulated with all three methods to compare the resulting stress–strain curves and lattice strains to those from the experimentally measured data. All three methods showed the capability of capturing the experimental results with different levels of accuracy. Additionally, the EVPSC-TDT method avoids solving the finite element matrices and showed the highest computational efficiency. The CPFE-ePTR model shows a higher accuracy in capturing the lattice strain. The CPFE-DT relies on high-resolution finite element mesh and is much slower than the other two methods, but it captured the local deformation concentration and stress reversal phenomena near the twin band, which was not possible with the other two methods. Based on the comparison, guidance for the selection of the appropriate model based on the specific modeling target is provided in this paper.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Recurrent neural network-based multiaxial plasticity model with regularization for physics-informed constraints

We report a recurrent neural network (RNN) based model is developed as a surrogate to predict nonlinear plastic response under multiaxial loading. The RNN-based model is trained and tested on stress versus strain curves generated using a numerical solution based on the classical radial return method. Besides simply learning the basic constitutive relationship, a novel approach is taken to enforce certain physical conditions. Specifically, regularization is employed to maintain non-negative plastic power density throughout the loading history thereby ensuring monotonically increasing plastic work and thermodynamic consistency. Enforcing physics in this manner permits coupling of the data-driven RNN approach with physics-based knowledge and laws. This has the effect of reducing the necessary amount of data and ensuring known physical laws are not violated. Since, once trained, the model need not perform the expensive task of solving nonlinear equations, its efficiency is orders of magnitude greater than its numerical counterpart. The RNN-based model has been trained on varied sets of data and the accuracy on test datasets validated. The developed model is general and robust and has widespread application such as in the simulation of metal forming, large scale plasticity, and part life prediction.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Challenges in the mechanical recycling and upcycling of mixed postconsumer recovered plastics (PCR): A review

The presence of chemically different and compositionally varying plastics in mixed postconsumer recovered plastic (PCR) presents daunting barriers to recycling and upcycling efforts. This review systematically outlines how different processing techniques and characterization methods can be implemented to improve PCR's mechanical recycling and upcycling processes. The review further addresses the recycling challenges in the processing of mixed plastics from PCR and how their mechanical properties can be enhanced by making use of different types of compatibilizers such as copolymers, Janus nanoparticles as well as different approaches such as solid-state pulverization and microfibrillarization. In addition, the state-of-the-art applications of recycled plastics usage in automotive and construction are reviewed.

Compatibilization↗

The roles of yield strength mismatch, interface strength, and plastic strain gradients in fatigue crack growth across interfaces

An irreversible cohesive zone model was used to understand how plastic strain gradients and yield strength mismatches affect fatigue crack growth across bi-material and multilayer interfaces for a range of interface strengths. Parametric studies identified regimes of penetration through the interface, deflection into the interface, and a transition where cracks extend on both paths. Plastic strain gradients strongly influence the transition regime, and a yield strength mismatch is necessary to cause deflection. For crack growth across an interlayer, interactions between the interfaces occur when the crack-tip plastic zone spans the interlayer. Plastic strain gradients promote penetration through the interlayer.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Quantifying deformation processes near grain boundaries in α titanium using nanoindentation and crystal plasticity modeling

In this work, the influence of grain boundaries on plastic deformation was studied by carrying out nanoindentation near grain boundaries (GBs). Surface topographies of indentations near grain boundaries were characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and compared to corresponding single crystal indent topographies collected from indentations in grain interiors. Comparison of the single crystal indents to indents adjacent to low-angle boundaries shows that these boundaries have limited effect on the size and shape of the indent topography. Higher angle boundaries result in a decrease in the pile-up topography observed in the receiving grain, and in some cases increases in the topographic height in the indented grain, indicating deformation transfer across these boundaries is more difficult. A crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) model of the indentation geometry was built to simulate both the single crystal and the near grain boundary indentation (bi-crystal indentation) deformation process. The accuracy of the model is evaluated by comparing the point-wise volumetric differences between simulated and experimentally measured topographies. Good agreement, in both single and bi-crystal cases, suggests that the crystal plasticity kinematics plays a dominant role in single crystal indentation deformation, and is also essential to bi-crystal indentation. Despite the good agreement, some differences between experimental and simulated topographies were observed. These discrepancies have been rationalized in terms of reverse plasticity and the inability of the model to capture the full resistance of the boundary to slip. Lastly, this is discussed in terms of dislocation nucleation versus glide in the model and in the physics of the slip transfer process.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A crystal plasticity finite element model embedding strain-rate sensitivities inherent to deformation mechanisms: Application to alloy AZ31

We report the fundamental power-law relationship representing the flow rule in crystal visco-plasticity ensures uniqueness in the selection of slip systems accommodating imposed plastic strain-rates. The power-law relationship also introduces an artificially high strain-rate sensitivity in crystal plasticity simulations, unless a high value of the power-law exponent is used. However, the use of high values for the exponent is limited by numerical tractability. This paper presents a numerical method implemented in a crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) model for embedding any value of the power-law exponent reflecting the true material strain-rate sensitivity. Importantly, the method does not increase computation time involved in the simulations. The enhanced CPFE model is used to interpret and predict a complex strain-rate sensitive response and microstructural evolution of AZ31 Mg alloy. Measured values of strain-rate sensitivity for slip and twinning modes are used in the simulations. Calculations show that the model successfully captures the phenomena pertaining to the effect of changing applied strain-rate on the mechanical response including flow stress and evolution of texture and twinning for a broad range of strain-rates ranging from 10 -3 s -1 to 10 3 s -1 and loading orientations in tension and compression. It is shown that such predictions are a consequence of not only relative amounts of slip and twinning activities driven by a set of accurately characterized hardening law parameters but also values of the strain-rate sensitivities inherent to individual deformation mechanisms. Besides, the model validates the measured strain-rate dependency of deformation mechanisms while accurately reproducing the mechanical data. Hence, the model can be used to verify and further refine or infer measured strain-rate sensitivity per deformation mechanism by reproducing experimental data.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Bridging microscale to macroscale mechanical property measurements of FeCrAl alloys by crystal plasticity modeling

FeCrAl alloys are candidates for accident tolerant fuel cladding of light water reactors. In this work, a microstructure- and temperature-dependent crystal plasticity model is employed to bridge microscale to macroscale mechanical property measurements of FeCrAl alloys. With the visco-plastic self-consistent (VPSC) polycrystal plasticity framework, a mechanism-based single crystal plasticity (MSCP) model adopts the Arrhenius type rate equation to describe the dependence of the critical resolved shear stress for dislocation slips on their temperature-dependent intrinsic frictional resistance and the microstructure-dependent irradiation hardening. The intrinsic frictional resistance associated with {110}<111> and {112}<111> slip systems were measured by in-situ micromechanical testing on unirradiated/irradiated samples at 25-500 °C. The irradiation hardening is estimated by the Bacon-Kocks-Scattergood (BKS) model with density and size of radiation-induced defects measured from microstructural characterization. Several features associated with thermo-mechanical behavior of unirradiated/irradiated polycrystalline FeCrAl alloys are captured. High density of deformation-induced dislocations and radiation-induced defects results in obvious hardening at room temperature, which is weakened at high temperature, and facilitates damage evolution during deformation. Moreover, both high temperature and radiation-induced defects, which facilitate dislocation multiplication, trigger large hardening rate. Finally, the proposed method together with application of accelerator-based ion irradiation technique is a surrogate approach to simulate neutron damage, improving the efficiency associated with evaluation of mechanical properties of FeCrAl alloys exposed to temperature, stress and radiation conditions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Image Distortions on a Plastic Interstitial Computed Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Brachytherapy Applicator at 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Their Dosimetric Impact

Purpose: To quantify magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) distortions on a plastic intracavitary/interstitial applicator with plastic needles at a field strength of 3 T and to determine the dosimetric impact, using patient data. Methods and Materials: For 11 cervical cancer patients, our clinical MRI protocol was extended with 3 scans. From the first scan, a multi-echo acquisition, a map of the magnetic field (B{sub 0}) was calculated and used to quantify the field inhomogeneity. The expected displacements of the applicator were quantified for the clinical sequence using the measured field inhomogeneity and the clinical sequence's bandwidth. The second and third scan were our routine clinical sequence (duration: <5 minutes each), acquired consecutively using opposing readout directions. The displacement of the applicator between these scans is approximately twice the displacement due to B{sub 0} inhomogeneity. The impact of the displacement on the dose was determined by reconstructing the applicator on both scans. The applicator was then shifted and rotated the same distance as the observed displacement to create a worst-case scenario (ie, twice the actual displacement due to B{sub 0} inhomogeneity). Next, the dose to 98%/90% (D{sub 98}/D{sub 90}) of the clinical target volume at high risk, as well as the dose to the most irradiated 2 cm{sup 3} for bladder and rectum, were calculated for the original plan as well as the shifted plan. Results: For a volume of interest containing the intrauterine device and the ovoids the 95th percentile of the absolute displacement ranged between 0.2 and 0.75 mm, over all patients. For all patients, the difference in D{sub 98}/D{sub 90} in the opposing readout scans with the original plan was at most 4.7%/4.3%. For the dose to the most irradiated 2 cm{sup 3} of bladder/rectum, the difference was at most 6.0%/6.3%. Conclusions: The dosimetric impact of distortions on this plastic applicator with plastic needles is limited. Applicator reconstruction for brachytherapy planning purposes is feasible at 3 T MRI.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Coupled nonlinear elasticity, plastic slip, twinning, and phase transformation in single crystal titanium for plate impact loading

High purity single crystal titanium (Ti) under shockwave loading in plate impact experiment is modelled and simulated, with help of the finite element. A thermodynamically consistent system of equations is formulated in the frame of large deformation to consider material anisotropy, rate dependence, and multi-physics including nonlinear elasticity, dislocation based plastic slip, deformation twinning, and phase transformation. A novel kinematics is proposed to consider phase transformation in the α twin variants and also to consider the dislocation based slip in all of components of parent material, primary twins and the ω phase. The thermodynamically consistent driving forces for plastic slip, twinning, and phase transformation are developed based upon the second law of thermodynamics. For nonlinear elasticity, the stiffness matrix is dependent on the volume fractions of all components, and the volumetric part of Cauchy stress is obtained from the nonlinear equation of state. Dislocation based plastic slip in multi-variant and multiphase heterogeneous materials is developed and interactions of dislocations among all slip modes are taken into account. A mechanism for dislocation density evolution during twinning and phase transformation is proposed. The shock loading along the [0001] and [10$\bar{1}1$ directions of single crystal high purity Ti is investigated computationally. Very good correspondence between simulation and experiment is obtained, which includes pole figures, volume fractions of components, free surface velocity, peak pressure, and phase transformation pressure. Multiple experimental phenomena are interpreted based upon the progression of dislocation slip, deformation twinning, and phase transformation. In compression with the [10$\bar{1}1$ crystal, a higher volume fraction in the primary twins but a lower secondary twin volume fraction in the [0001] crystal in experiment was observed. Finally, the higher propensity for phase transformation occurs in the [0001] crystal is reproduced. In addition to material texture, distributions of temperature, stresses, and plastic strains dependent on the impact loading directions are revealed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Thermodynamic theory of crystal plasticity: Formulation and application to polycrystal fcc copper

We present a thermodynamic description of crystal plasticity. Our formulation is based on the Langer-Bouchbinder-Lookman thermodynamic dislocation theory (TDT), which asserts the fundamental importance of an effective temperature that describes the state of configurational disorder and therefore the dislocation density of the crystalline material. We extend the TDT description from isotropic plasticity to crystal plasticity with many slip systems. Finite-element simulations show favourable comparison with experiments on polycrystal fcc copper under uniaxial compression, tension, and simple shear. Here, the thermodynamic theory of crystal plasticity thus provides a thermodynamically consistent and physically rigorous description of dislocation motion in crystals. We also discuss new insights about the interaction of dislocations belonging to different slip systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗