No description available.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of ear points pressing at ear meridian points on obesity-related parameters( body weight, body fat, body mass index, waist, hip circumferences, and WC/HC ratio) between treatment and control groups, and we also apply the Self-Determination Theory to discuss the relationship between motivation and performance of body weight control. Methods: The study was an cross over open-parallel randomized control trial and the sample consisted of 189 volunteers who were randomly divided into two groups and the baseline characteristics were similar. In the experimental (immediate treatment) group (n=93), ear points pressing at five ear meridian points and lifestyle education were applied, while volunteers in the control (delay treatment) group (n=96) just receive lifestyle education in the first 8 weeks. At baseline, 24th, 32nd and each week of the sixteen weeks study, the outcomes mentioned above were examined in all volunteers, and related SDT questionnaires were checked during the period of 32 weeks study. Results: The result showed a statistically significant drop in BW, BMI, Waist circumference and Hip circumference during the 32 weeks in experimental (immediate treatment) and control (delay treatment) group, and better effect while using ear points pressing in the same group. But, no significant differences were found between the two groups. A SEM analysis showed that autonomous support, relatedness and original autonomy can get better competence and was related to positive consequences in BW control. And it was relative an adequate model to test the self determination theory. Conclusion: Even though the result showed a statistically significant drop in BW, BMI, WC, HC during the 32 weeks treatment in experimental (immediate treatment) and control (delay treatment) groups, and better effect while using ear points pressing in the same group. But, no statistical significance change in BW related parameters were found between the two groups. Further studies are needed to detect the effect of ear points pressing and model fit of SDT application by increasing research time, and sample sizes.

Bismuth telluride based compounds is known to be the best thermoelectric materials within the room temperature regime. In this study, the n-type Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric alloy was synthesized by powder metallurgy method. The Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 thermoelectric materials were prepared via the ball milling, cold pressing, and sintering processes. The effects of sintering time and temperature on the microstructures and thermoelectric properties were investigated and discussed. The X-ray diffraction patterns of Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 reveal that the compounds are single phase after the sintering processes. And the experimental results showed that the pores was reduced by the increased sintering temperature and time. According to the measurement results, the Seebeck coefficient was decreased at firest and then increased by the increased sintering temperature. The optimal Seebeck coefficient of -156.936(£gV/K) was obtained as the sample was sintered at 350¢XC for 3h. The results also showed that the thermal conductivity was increased by the increased sintering temperature, whereas the electrical resistivity was reduced. The lowest thermal conductivity 0.816 (W/m¡EK) was obtained as the sample was sintered at 350¢XC for 1h. On the other hand, the electrical resistivity of 1.6999¡Ñ10-5(£[-m) was obtained as the sample was sintered at 450¢XC for 2h. The figure of merit of 0.31 was obtained at room temperature as the sample was sintered at 375¢XC for 2h.

Abstract is secret.

La technologie Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) permet la conception de matériaux denses avec des microstructures fines. Il s’agit d’une variante du pressage à chaud (HP) qui utilise un courant pulsé pour chauffer la matrice et le matériau. Les phénomènes mis en jeu restent mal compris et sujets à controverse, laissant plusieurs interrogations : - Pourquoi le frittage par SPS apparaît-il plus efficace que les méthodes de frittage sous charge classiques ? Quels sont les mécanismes de densification et de consolidation activés qui déterminent l’élaboration par SPS ? Le passage du courant joue-t-il un rôle dans ces mécanismes et si oui lequel ? Ce travail vise à répondre à ces questions dans le cas de poudres de cuivre sphériques de 10 à 50 µm. Des comparaisons systématiques ont été réalisées avec le pressage à chaud classique, dans des conditions identiques. La cinétique de densification a été étudiée à l’échelle macroscopique et à l’échelle de la microstructure. L’observation de la formation des cous de frittage a été réalisée à partir de fractographies et de sections polies. La densification est assurée par la déformation des particules due à la charge appliquée et à l’augmentation de la température. Aucune différence, ni macroscopique, ni microscopique, n’a été mise en évidence entre l’élaboration par HP et celle par SPS, même lorsque des conditions favorables à la mise en évidence ont été utilisées : couches d’oxyde développée sur les particules, passage du courant forcé dans l’échantillon, fortes intensités appliquées par des « pulses » de courant. Dans les conditions étudiées, il n’apparaît aucun effet spécifique lié au courant. / Spark plasma sintering is a manufacturing process that leads to dense materials with fine microstructures. SPS combines heating and uniaxial load as well as the Hot Pressing (HP) process but the material is heated using a pulsed current. The phenomena occurring during SPS are not fully understood and are still an open point: -Which densification and consolidation mechanisms are involved during SPS? -Why is sintering by SPS more efficient than sintering by traditional ways such as HP? –Does electrical current modify the sintering mechanisms? The aim of this work is to answer these questions in the case of spherical copper powder (from 10 to 50 µm). Comparisons between SPS and HP were performed using the same process conditions. The densification rate was studied macroscopically and microscopically. The evolution of the necks between particles was followed by cross sections and fractography. The densification is realized by plastic deformation due to the applied load and the temperature increase. No difference between SPS and HP was observed although sintering conditions favorable to the occurrence of specific phenomena were applied: oxide layer coating the particles, current forced through the sample, high intensity using a pulsed current. In the studied conditions, no specific effect was observed due to the current presence.

During the traditional manufacturing route, there are large amount of titanium alloys wasted in the form of machining chips. The conventional recycling methods require high energy consumption and capital cost. Equal channel angular pressing (ECAP), one of the severe plastic deformation techniques, has been developed to recycle the metallic machining chips. The purpose of the PhD work is to realize the ECAP recycling of titanium alloys, in particular Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn, and investigate the effects of processing parameters on the resultant relative density, microstructure evolution, texture development and microhardness homogeneity. The microstructures of Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn machining chips obtained from conventional turning (CT) and ultrasonically assisted turning (UAT) were initially investigated. It was found that ultrafine grains were formed in the primary and secondary shear zones. For Ti-6Al-4V chips, the β phase in the shear zones was refined into nano-sized equiaxed grains and aligned up to form banded structures. For Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn chips, the nano-crystalline grains were enveloped in the shear zones and have clear boundaries to the surrounding matrix. It was observed that in terms of microstructure, there is no significant difference between CT and UAT chips. Recycling of Ti-6Al-4V machining chips was carried out at moderate temperatures with various back-pressures. For single-pass samples, the relative density was increased with the applied back-pressure and operating temperature. It was found that after multiple passes, near fully dense recycled Ti-6Al-4V can be fabricated. The microstructure observations showed that the nano-sized equiaxed and elongated grains co-existed with relatively coarser lamellar structures which were initially refined after the first pass. In the subsequent passes, the fraction of equiaxed nano-grains increased with the number of passes. The original β phase banded structures were fragmented into individual nano-sized grains randomly distributed within α matrix. The chip boundaries were eliminated and nano-crystalline microstructure region was observed at the chip/chip interface after multiple passes. In the sample processed at 550 °C, < a →+c → > type dislocations were observed and oxide layer at chip/chip interface was detected. The texture evolution was investigated using electron backscatter diffraction. It was found that the recycled samples performed a strong basal texture along the normal to ECAP inclination direction after the first pass. After multiple passes, in addition to the normal to inclination direction, the recycled Ti-6Al-4V exhibits a basal texture towards the transverse direction. Microhardness mapping showed that the average hardness and degree of homogeneity were increased with number of passes, while the imposed back-pressure had little effect on the average value and homogeneity. Recycling of Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn machining chips was implemented using similar ECAP conditions. The effects of processing parameters, such as back-pressure, operating temperature and number of passes, on the relative density were similar to those for Ti-6Al-4V. Microstructural characterization showed that equiaxed instead of needle shaped α precipitates formed in the β matrix due to the high dislocation density and sub-grain boundaries introduced during ECAP. In terms of microhardness, the maximum hardness was obtained at the specimen pressed at 450 °C. It was found that the applied back-pressure and number of passes enabled to improve the homogeneity, but had little effect on the average hardness.

No description available.

Graduation date: 1999

Bismuth telluride based compounds is known to be the best thermoelectric materials within the low temperature regime. In this study, the P-type Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 thermoelectric alloy was synthesized by ceramic processing method. The Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 thermoelectric materials were prepared via the ball milling, cold pressing, and sintering processes. The effects of sintering time and temperature on the microstructures and thermoelectric properties were investigated and discussed. The X-ray diffraction patterns of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 reveal that the compounds have the oxides after the sintering processes and the heat treatment process causes grain growth by the increased sintering temperature and time. The results of thermoelectric properties show that the optimal Seebeck coefficient 300(£gV/K) was obtained as the sample was sintered at 350¢XC for 3h and the resistivity will reach the maximum. The figure of merit of 0.15 was obtained at room temperature as the sample was sintered at 375¢XC for 3h.

The performance characteristics of pure hydrogen PEMFC (called HFC) stacks made with heterogeneous carbon fiber bipolar plates are studied in this thesis. In addition, the problem that the heterogeneous carbon fiber bipolar plate leaks in the high gas pressure is also solved in this studies so that the new plate can be used to the high current power sources. Because of the gas leakage of the first generation stack at high inlet gas pressure, the fuel supply is insufficient in the high current density. A 4-cell PEMFC stack made with this new bipolar plate is built with weight 370 g and volume 385 cm3 without a fan. The total power out of the 4-cell stack is about 30 W at room temperature. The specific power and volumetric power densities are 81 mW/g and 78 mW/cm3, respectively. The average power density is about 160 mW/cm2, but the power density of a single-cell can reach a value about 220 mW/cm2. The insufficient fuel supply cause that the power density of 4-cell PEMFC stack is lower than single cell, so it is necessary to solve the gas leakage at high pressure. Our experiment found that gas leakage occurs in heterogeneous bipolar plates can be relate to the insufficient or improper hot-pressing temperature, time and pressure while we are making the carbon fiber bunches. So the processes in making new carbon fiber bunches include water expansion, uniform glue adding, high hot-pressing pressure, and using proper temperature and enough solidification time. The airtight of the second generation of heterogeneous carbon fiber bipolar plates improves obviously with the new processes. No leakage occurs for gas pressure under 1atm. We expect that this design can be used to high inlet pressure. It is also quite suitable for various high-power electrical sources.