NiO–YSZ films – of thicknesses in the range ca. 1–15 μm – have been fabricated by multi-step galvanostatic deposition from acidic hydroalcoholic solutions of NiCl
2, ZrOCl
2 and YCl
3, containing ...Chitosan. The crystallographic structure of the electrodeposits has been studied by XRD, their chemical composition has been evaluated by EDX analysis, their morphology has been observed by SEM and optical microscopy and their adhesion has been quantified by the scratch-test method. Deposition-rate measurements have pinpointed some kinetic factors, relevant to process optimisation and bath management. As-plated samples exhibit an X-ray amorphous structure, that can be converted to crystalline fcc-NiO/cubic-fluorite YSZ by heat treatment. The YSZ composition is Y/Zr ca. 0.2 (molar ratio) and does not depend appreciably on processing conditions; the NiO content can be tuned in the range Ni/(Zr
+
Y) ca. 0.2–2 (molar ratio) by adjusting the electrodeposition parameters.
Background We compared the oncologic effectiveness of open adrenalectomy and endoscopic adrenalectomy in the treatment of patients with localized adrenocortical carcinoma. Methods One hundred ...fifty-six patients with localized adrenocortical carcinoma (stage I/II) who underwent R0 resection were included in an Italian multiinstitutional surgical survey. They were divided into 2 groups based on the operative approach (either conventional or endoscopic). Results One hundred twenty-six patients underwent open adrenalectomy and 30 patients underwent endoscopic adrenalectomy. The 2 groups were well matched for age, sex, lesion size, and stage ( P = NS). The mean follow-up time was similar for the 2 groups ( P = NS). The local recurrence rate was 19% for open adrenalectomy and 21% for endoscopic adrenalectomy, whereas distant metastases were recorded in 31% of patients in the conventional adrenalectomy group and 17% in the endoscopic adrenalectomy group ( P = NS). The mean time to recurrence was 27 ± 27 months in the conventional open adrenalectomy group and 29 ± 33 months in the endoscopic adrenalectomy group ( P = NS). No significant differences were found between the 2 groups in terms of 5-year disease-free survival (38.3% vs 58.2%) and 5-year overall survival rates (48% vs 67%; P = NS). Conclusion The operative approach does not affect the oncologic outcome of patients with localized adrenocortical carcinoma, if the principles of surgical oncology are respected.
Some mechanical and tribological properties of ACD Ni-P/diamond and ECD Au/boron carbide composite thin films are measured and discussed. Preparation methods are briefly described. Hardness, Young's ...modulus and Milman's plasticity parameter are evaluated by diamond-pyramid indentation methods; sliding-wear behaviour is tested by means of the pin-on-disk technique. The application of the correlations for indentation testing are treated statistically in view of a quantitative use. The variations in mechanical properties induced by the dispersion of ceramic particles and quantitatively correlated with the structural characteristics of the composite films.
Phase change memory (PCM) has reached the status of mature technology for stand-alone, embedded, and storage-class memory (SCM). A key requirement for these applications is stability at high ...temperature (T) during soldering, packaging and operation. To this aim, new materials and algorithms to improve reliability are essential. Here we demonstrate bipolar switching in PCM resulting in low-current operation and excellent high-T reliability. DC and pulsed switching characteristics are explained by ion migration in the chalcogenide layer, as supported by TEM and T-dependent studies. Excellent reliability at high T is demonstrated and explained by a physical model.
We reported here a comparative study of PCM cell architectures. The developed architectures are considered in a program/read efficiency framework and in an integration context. The Self-Heating ...approach is slightly more efficient, owing to heat generation happening directly within GST, but shows hazardous technology implementation with Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 , due to high aspect ratios. The heater-based Wall architecture represents the best and easiest solution for PCM from the technology standpoint: it features relaxed aspect ratios and benefits from lots of geometry-based knobs for optimization with slightly higher process complexity and slightly lower efficiency. Strengths and drawbacks of the different architectures are schematically reported in Fig. 14.
Abstract
We report on the corrosion of austenitic (AISI304) and duplex (2205) stainless steels in H
2
O/KOH 50% at 120 °C. The research is based on a combination of electrochemical, structural and ...compositional analyses, aimed at assessing the surface modifications resulting from anodic attack and their impact on corrosion resistance. Linear sweep voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectrometry measurements were carried out in an air‐tight high‐temperature cell. In‐plane and cross‐sectional SEM micrography, X‐ray diffractometry and EDX profiling were used to characterise samples attacked under electrochemically controlled conditions. Electrochemical results have shown that AISI304 exhibits a complex passivating behaviour, while the anodic electrokinetics of the duplex is characterised by mixed kinetic control. AISI304 was found to fail by intergranular corrosion and to be covered: in passive conditions by acicular compounds and in transpassive conditions by a compact layer of corrosion products. Duplex samples, instead, exhibit an uniform form of corrosion morphology and bear a compact layer of corrosion products both in passive and in transpassive conditions.
We report on the corrosion of austenitic (AISI304) and duplex (2205) stainless steels in H sub(2)O/KOH 50% at 120 degree C. The research is based on a combination of electrochemical, structural and ...compositional analyses, aimed at assessing the surface modifications resulting from anodic attack and their impact on corrosion resistance. Linear sweep voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectrometry measurements were carried out in an air-tight high-temperature cell. In-plane and cross-sectional SEM micrography, X-ray diffractometry and EDX profiling were used to characterise samples attacked under electrochemically controlled conditions. Electrochemical results have shown that AISI304 exhibits a complex passivating behaviour, while the anodic electrokinetics of the duplex is characterised by mixed kinetic control. AISI304 was found to fail by intergranular corrosion and to be covered: in passive conditions by acicular compounds and in transpassive conditions by a compact layer of corrosion products. Duplex samples, instead, exhibit an uniform form of corrosion morphology and bear a compact layer of corrosion products both in passive and in transpassive conditions.
In this paper, the authors report in situ surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) experiments carried out during the electrochemical deposition of Y sub(2)O sub(3)/Au from chloride salts dissolved ...in hydroalcoholic solutions containing chitosan as a binder. This composite was recently proposed by the authors as an electronically conducting coating able to protect AISI 430 interconnects from hot corrosion in SOFC cathodic environment. Dynamic SERS spectra were obtained during galvanostatic electrodeposition, showing peaks in the typical Raman shift range of M-O stretching and bending vibrations that have been tentatively assigned on the basis of quantum-chemical computations. The time dependence of the spectral features can be followed with a simple kinetic model accounting for the pH transient occurring in the catholyte.
The Phase Change Memory (PCM) technology has followed the scaling roadmap 1 from the 180nm down to the 45nm technology node 2-4, in the last one going in volume production. In a PCM array, thermal ...crosstalk is referred to as a potential concern due to a temperature raise driven by the programming operation in a cell and its impact on data retention in the neighbor ones. In fact a programming operation in PCM induces a temperature raise in the cell surrounding environment 1. Such issue has been already addressed in 54nm PCM 5 through an accurate tuning of the programming algorithm. Although effective, such an approach implies several constraints for further optimization of the PCM array performances. In this work we empirically investigate the thermal crosstalk in 45nm PCM arrays, clearly highlighting the key role of the interface thermal resistances engineering. PCM cell design rules for thermal crosstalk immune operation are discussed and implemented on silicon, leading to a fully disturb-immune qualified process.
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