Zinc oxide (ZnO) doped antimony (Sb) nanowires have been synthesized for improving ultraviolet sensing and photocatalytic properties. Upon illumination by UV light (365 nm, 2.33 mW cm(-2)), the photoelectric current of the ZnO: Sb nanowires exhibited a rapid photoresponse as compared to that of the ZnO nanowires. A highest ratio of photocurrent to dark current of around 48.8-fold was achieved in the as-synthesized ZnO: Sb nanowires. A UV-visible spectrophotometer was used to investigate the absorbance spectrum of the ZnO:Sb nanowires, which exhibited a high absorbance ratio with redshift effect in contrast to that of the ZnO nanowires. Visible-light photocatalysis and UV photoresponsive properties of the ZnO: Sb nanowires are superior to those of the ZnO nanowires. (c) 2010 The Electrochemical Society

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This paper presents a new sectional flexibility factor to simulate the reduction of the stiffness of a single-edge open cracked beam. The structural model for crack of the beam is considered as a rotational spring which is related to the ratio of crack depth to the beam height,a/h. The mathematical model of this single-edge open crack beam is considered as an Euler-Bernoulli beam. The modified factor,f(a/h), derived in this paper is in good agreement with previous researchers' results for crack depth ratioa/hless than 0.5. The natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes for lateral vibration with different types of single-edge open crack beams can then be evaluated by applying this modified factorf(a/h). Using the compatibility conditions on the crack and the analytical transfer matrix method, the numerical solutions for natural frequencies of the cracked beam are obtained. The natural frequencies and the mode shapes with crack at different locations are obtained and compared with the latest research literature. The numerical results of the proposed cracked beam model obtained by this method can be extended to construct frequency contour. The natural frequencies measured from field can be used in solving the inverse problem to identify cracks in structures.

Bismuth-doped ZnO nanowires were synthesized by a vapor transfer process at 600 degrees C. Raman spectra revealed that a slight blueshift occurred in ZnO:Bi (438 cm(-1)) nanowires in contrast to ZnO (436 cm(-1)) nanowires. The X-ray photoelectron spectrum showed that the ZnO: Bi nanowires contained the Bi dopant as Bi(0) and Bi(3+). The turn-on fields of the ZnO: Bi and ZnO nanowires were similar to 4.19 and 6.57 V/mu m, respectively. Because the ZnO:Bi nanowires exhibited a redshift of absorbance spectrum with a high ratio in the UV range, the photocatalytic activities of ZnO: Bi nanowires were considered superior to those of ZnO nanowires. (C) 2010 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3387638] All rights reserved

This paper deals with the inverse problem of a functionally graded material (FGM) elliptical plate with large deflection and disturbed boundary under uniform load. The properties of functionally graded material are assumed to vary continuously through the thickness of the plate, and obey a simple power law expression based on the volume fraction of the constituents. Based on the classical nonlinear von Karman plate theory, the governing equations of a thin plate with large deflection were derived. In order to solve this non-classical problem, a perturbation technique was employed on displacement terms in conjunction with Taylor series expansion of the disturbed boundary conditions. The displacements of in-plane and transverse are obtained in a non-dimensional series expansion form with respect to center deflection of the plate. The approximate solutions of displacements are solved for the first three terms, and the corresponding internal stresses can also be obtained. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved