• Applied Microscopy
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.49-52
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• 2012

For TEM study of biological samples or polymers that are contained in organic structure, it is often required that the sample is prepared by using ultramicrotome and stained with proper agents to increase the contrast of organic structure. In this study, we investigated an efficient TEM sample preparation method for ductile heterogeneity material by using ultramicrotomy. Cryo-ultramicrotomy is a suitable method that is capable of rendering sample hardness for various ductile materials. However, it has several factors to consider, such as experimental cost, working time and finding the optimal staining conditions. To satisfy these considerations, we prepared TEM sample by using ultramicrotome without cryofunction, and secured the sample hardness by applying the staining process prior to ultrathin sectioning. The cross-linked polyethylene structure in the sample was stained with the 2% $RuO_4$ solution in a sealed test tube for 24 hours at $4^{\circ}C$. After the sample staining, ultrathin sections of sample were prepared using ultramicrotome. As a result, it was revealed that the difficulties associated with staining of ultrathin sections prepared by low-temperature conditions were improved. In addition, appropriate staining depth of sample could be selected for sectioning process. The quality of TEM sample obtained by using this method was better than that of cryo-ultramicroscopy. Finally, it is expected that our method could be effectively applied in TEM sample preparation for a variety of nano-bio convergence materials.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• 제21권6호
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• pp.55-63
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• 2003

Welded joint generally has heterogeneity of strength, material, and fracture toughness and it is important to understand the characteristics of material strength and fracture of welded joint considering heterogeneous effect. Characteristics of strength and fracture of an undermatched joint under dynamic loading was studied by round-bar tension tests and thermal elastic-plastic analyses in this paper. The strength and fracture of the undermatched joints should be evaluated based on the effects of the strain rate and the temperature including temperature rise during the dynamic loading. The differences of fracture characteristics like such as ductile-to-brittle transition behavior are well precisely explained from the stress-strain distribution obtained by numerical analysis.

• Advances in nano research
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.217-229
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• 2024

This paper presents results of visual analysis of cracks formation and propagation of concretes made of quaternary binders (QBC). A composition of the two most commonly used mineral additives, i.e. fly ash (FA) and silica fume (SF) in combination with nanosilica (nS), has been proposed as a partial replacement of the cement. The principal objective of the present study is to achieve information about the effect of simultaneous incorporation of three pozzolans as partial replacement to the OPC on the fracture processes in concretes made from quaternary binders (QBC). The modern and precise non-contact measurement method (NCMM) via digital image correlation (DIC) technique was used, during the studies. In the course of experiments it was established that the substitution of OPC with three pozzolans including the nanoadditive in FA+SF+nS FA+SF+nS combination causes a clear change of brittleness and behavior during fractures in QBCs. It was found that the shape of cracks in unmodified concrete was quasi-linear. Substitution of the binder by SCMs resulted in a slight heterogeneity of the structure of the QBC, including only SF and nS, and clear heterogeneity for concretes with the FA additive. In addition, as content of FA rises throughout each of QBC series, material becomes more ductile and shows less brittle failure. It means that an increase in the FA content in the concrete mix causes a significant change in fracture process in this composite in comparison to concrete with the addition of silica modifiers only.