Benchmark experiment of large-angle scattering reaction cross section of iron at 14 MeV using two shadow bars – Comparison of experimental results with ENDF/B-VIII –

ABSTRACT

It is important to perform neutron transport simulations with accurate nuclear data in the neutronics design of a fusion reactor. However, absolute values of large-angle scattering cross sections vary among nuclear data libraries even for well-examined nuclide of iron. Benchmark experiments focusing on large-angle scattering cross sections were thus performed to confirm the correctness of nuclear data libraries. The series benchmark experiments were performed at a DT neutron source facility, OKTAVIAN of Osaka University, Japan, by the unique experimental system established by the authors’ group, which can extract only the contribution of large-angle scattering reactions. This system consists of two shadow bars, target plate (iron), and neutron detector (niobium). Two types of shadow bars were used and four irradiations were conducted for one experiment, so that contribution of room-return neutrons was effectively removed and only large-angle scattering neutrons were extracted from the measured four Nb reaction rates. The obtained experimental results were compared with calculations for five nuclear data libraries including JENDL-4.0, JEFF.-3.3, FENDL-3.1, ENDF/B- VII, and recently released ENDF/B-VIII. It was found from the comparison that ENDF/B-VIII showed the best result, though ENDF/B-VII showed overestimation and others are in large underestimation at 14 MeV.     

High performance 35 nm gate length CMOS with NO oxynitride gate dielectric and Ni salicide

The 35 nm gate length CMOS devices with oxynitride gate dielectric and Ni salicide have been fabricated to study the feasibility of higher performance operation. Nitrogen concentration in gate oxynitride was optimized to reduce gate current I/sub g/ and to prevent boron penetration in the pFET. The thermal budget in the middle of the line (MOL) process was reduced enough to realize shallower junction depth in the S/D extension regions and to suppress gate poly-Si depletion. Finally, the current drives of 676 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m in nFET and 272 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m in pFET at V/sub dd/=0.85 V (at I/sub off/=100 nA//spl mu/m) were achieved and they are the best values for 35 nm gate length CMOS reported to date.     

Enhanced thermal stability of poly(lactide)s in the melt by enantiomeric polymer blending

Poly(l-lactide) (i.e. poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA)) and poly(d-lactide) (i.e. poly(d-lactic acid) (PDLA)) and their equimolar enantiomeric blend (PLLA/PDLA) films were prepared and the effects of enantiomeric polymer blending on the thermal stability and degradation of the films were investigated isothermally and non-isothermally under nitrogen gas using thermogravimetry (TG). The enantiomeric polymer blending was found to successfully enhance the thermal stability of the PLLA/PDLA film compared with those of the pure PLLA and PDLA films. The activation energies for thermal degradation (ΔE_td) were evaluated at different weight loss values from TG data using the procedure recommended by MacCallum et al. The ΔE_td values of the PLLA/PDLA, PLLA, and PDLA films were in the range of 205-297, 77-132, and 155-242 kJ mol⁻¹ when they were evaluated at weight loss values of 25-90% and the ΔE_td value of the PLLA/PDLA film was higher by 82-110 kJ mol⁻¹ than the averaged ΔE_td value of the PLLA and PDLA films. The mechanism for the enhanced thermal stability of the PLLA/PDLA film is discussed.     

Conversion of methane to syngas in a solid oxide fuel cell with Ni-SDC anode and LSGM electrolyte

A solid oxide fuel cell constructed from Ni-SDC anode and LSGM electrolyte was applied to the partial oxidation of methane to syngas (CO+H₂) at 700-800 °C with the merits of co-generation of electricity and controllable O₂ supply. It was found that the co-generated syngas at H₂/CO ratio of 1.4-2.0 varied with applied current densities, CH₄ flow rates and operating temperatures. The cell voltage at 100 mA cm⁻² and 800 °C was 0.90 V, i.e. about 90 mW cm⁻² power density could be obtained. The cell operating at 50 mA cm⁻² for 24 h almost showed no degradation of the cell performance. The observed carbon deposition seemed mainly taking place by CH₄ cracking reaction.     

Mutational analysis of structure--activity relationships in human tumor necrosis factor-alpha

To determine the region of human tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-), essential for cytotoxic activity against mouse L-M cells,single amino-acid-substituted TNF- mutant proteins (muteins)were produced in Escherichia coli by protein engineering techniques.An expression plasmid for TNF- was mutagenized by passage throughan E.coli mutD5 mutator strain and by oligonucleotide-directedmutagenesis. Approximately 100 single amino-acid-substitutedTNF- muteins were produced and assayed for cytotoxic activity.The cytotoxic activities of purified TNF- muteins, e.g. TNF-31T,-32Y, -82D, -85H, -115L, -141Y, -144K and -146E, were < 1%of that of parent TNF-. These results indicate that the integrityof at least four distinct regions of the TNF- molecule is requiredfor full biological activity. These regions are designated asfollows: region I, from position 30 to 32; region II, from position82 to 89; region III, from position 115 to 117; region FV, fromposition 141 to 146. In addition, TNF-141Y could not completelycompete with parent TNF- for binding to the receptor. This demonstratesthat region IV, and at least aspartk acid at position 141, mustbe involved in the TNF receptor binding site.     

Structures and electronic properties of surface/edges of nanodiamond and nanographite

The structure, electronic and magnetic properties of nanodiamond and nanographite/nanographene are investigated. Detonation nanodiamond particles that are covered with amorphous graphitic composites are hydrothermally treated to remove the graphitic surface composites and to terminate the surface carbon atoms with hydrogen. The number of localized spins of dangling bonds and the hydrogen concentration increase upon the increase in the hydrothermal treatment time up to 40 h. Above 40 h, both drop discontinuously, a surface structural reconstruction was suggested. The creation of dangling bonds and an incomplete hydrogenation of the surface carbon atoms destabilize the surface, resulting in the structural reconstruction. Nanodiamond particles are thermally converted to nanographite/nanographene. A single nanographene sheet is successfully prepared by heat-treating nanodiamond particles. The edge of graphene sheet with its edge carbon atoms being hydrogen-terminated is investigated by UHV-STM/STS. Zigzag edges are found to have non-bonding π-state of edge origin, in good agreement with theoretical prediction.     

Microstructures of functionally graded materials fabricated by centrifugal solid-particle andin-situ methods

Functionally graded materials (FGMs) belong to a relatively new class of inhomogeneous composite materials, in which the composition and/or microstructure undergo a gradual change along some directions. In this review article, the microstructures and composition gradients in Al/SiC, Al/Shirasu (volcanic eruptions commonly found in south Kyushu in Japan), Al/Al₃Ti, Al/Al₃Ni, Al/Al₂Cu FGMs have been investigated. The Al/SiC, Al/Shirasu and Al/Al₃Ti FGMs are fabricated by the centrifugal solid particle method where the distribution particles of SiC, Shirasu and Al₃Ti are solids in the melts. On the other hand, Al/Al₃Ni and Al/Al₂Cu FGMs are fabricated by the centrifugalin-situ method where Al/Al₃Ni and Al/Al₂Cu systems have lower liquidus temperatures than the processing temperatures. The feature of Al/(Al₃Ti−Al₃Ni) hydrid FGM, which is fabricated by a method combining both the centrifugal solid-particle andin-situ methods, is also shown.     

Hand shape classification in various pronation angles using a wearable wrist contour sensor

Hand gestures are potentially useful for communications between humans and between a human and a machine. However, existing methods entail several problems for practical use. We have proposed an approach to hand shape recognition based on wrist contour measurement. Especially in this paper, two assignments are addressed. First is the development of a new sensing device in which all elements are installed in a wrist-watch-type device. Second is the development of a new hand shape classifier that can accommodate pronation angle changes. The developed sensing device enables wrist contour data collection under conditions in which the pronation angle varies. The classifier recognizes the hand shape based on statistics produced through data forming and statistics conversion processes. The most important result is that no large difference exists between classification rates that include or those that exclude the independent (preliminary) pronation estimation process using inertia measurement units. This result shows two possible insights: (1) the wrist contour has some features that depend on the hand shape but which do not depend on the pronation angle, or (2) the wrist contour potentially includes pronation angle variation information. These insights indicate the possibility that hand shape can be recognized solely from the wrist contour, even while changing the pronation angle.