Interparticle potential energy calculations were performed to investigate the mechanisms by which a new class of concrete admixtures, generally referenced as poly(carboxylic acid)‐type (PC) superplasticizers, which aid in dispersing cement particles, are formed. These calculations consisted of long‐range Van der Waals, electrostatic, and steric interactions. The repulsive potential that resulted from electrostatic interactions was negligible, which would allow cement particles to flocculate in the absence of steric contributions. A model was developed to describe the adsorption behavior of these superplasticizers, which consisted of grafted polyethylene oxide (PEO) chains on a PC backbone on cement surfaces. Using this adsorption model, the influence of the length of the PEO molecular chain and the density per unit area on the steric contribution was quantified. Steric hindrance effects were the dominant stabilizing mechanism in this system. As expected, enhanced stability was observed with increasing adlayer thickness (and/or density). The results of this study may be useful in designing the molecular structure of this new and important class of dispersion aids for cement‐based systems.

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A hydrothermal method for preparing thin films of crystalline PZT was developed by controlling the rates of nucleation and crystal growth. This method consisted of two steps of hydrothermal reaction. The first step (nucleation process) was that in which the TiO2 substrate reacted with the mixed solution of Pb and Zr to form PZT and/or PZ nuclei on the surface. Subsequently, the crystal growth of PZT was promoted as the next hydrothermal step (crystal growth process) by the reaction of the mixed solution of Pb, Zr and Ti. From the experimental results of PZT powder preparation, the conditions of the nucleation and crystal growth process were determined as at 150°C for 24 h and at 120°C for 48 h, respectively. It was verified that the thin films consisted of PZT polycrystals and showed ferroelectric properties.

Dielectric properties of lead magnesium niobate (PMN) and Ta-bearing strontium barium niobate (SBNT) were measured as a function of temperature, and the crystal structure of PMN was refined by the Rietveld analysis method. The results of structure refinement indicate that the volume of polar microregions (PMR) increases with decreasing temperature. The dielectric properties of PMN and SBNT are well explained by an advanced theory of dielectric dispersion. The anomalous behavior in dielectric permittivity (ε) observed on the low temperature side of T m, the temperature of ε maximum, is explained by simple dielectric relaxation, while on the high-temperature side of T m is explained by the volume increase of PMR. It is concluded that these is no phase transition around T m, and the diffuse phase transition is an overlapping phenomenon of volume increase of PMR, freezing process of fluctuating dipoles in PMR and dielectric dispersion around the measuring frequrncy. A model of diffuse phase transition and relaxor ferroelectrics is proposed. The difference between normal ferroelectrics and relaxor ferroelectrics is discussed from the viewpoints of spreading of soft-mode phonons and disorder in the crystals.