Simulation of Copolymer Phase Separation in One-Dimensional Thin Liquid Films

This paper discusses the development of an invariant finite difference scheme to simulate the microphase separation of copolymers in one-dimensional thin liquid films. The film phenomena are modelled using two-phase shallow water equations and the Ohta–Kawasaki potential, which governs the phase separation of the copolymer. Non-positive volume fractions and spurious oscillations are eventually eliminated, in simulating the one-dimensional phase separation lamellar pattern.     

Electron‐beam‐pumped light sources using graphite nanoneedle field emitters and Si electron‐transparent films

Sputter‐induced carbon nanoneedle field emitters and Si electron‐transparent films have been developed for electron‐beam‐pumped light sources. The sputter‐induced carbon nanoneedle field emitters exhibited a stable electron emission of 0.1 mA at an average field of 13 V/µm. The 1.5‐µm thick Si electron‐transparent films achieved an electron transmittance of about 60% at an acceleration voltage of 27 kV. An electron‐beam‐pumped light source was demonstrated from the excitation of N₂ gas, and a N₂ gas spectrum was clearly observed. The increase of the beam current is important for increasing the light intensity. Copyright © 2007 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan© 2007 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Creep rupture strength and grain-boundary sliding in austenitic 21 Cr-4Ni-9Mn steels with serrated grain boundaries

The effect of grain-boundary strengthening on the creep-rupture strength by modification of the grain-boundary configuration is studied using austenitic 21 Cr-4Ni-9Mn steel in the temperature range from 600 to 1000° C in air. Grain-boundary sliding is also examined on a steel with serrated grain boundaries during creep at 700° C. The improvement of creep-rupture strength by the strengthening of grain boundaries is observed at high temperatures above 600° C. The 1000 h rupture strength of steels with serrated grain boundaries is considerably higher than that of steels with straight grain boundaries, especially at 700 and 800° C. The strengthening by serrated grain boundaries is effective in retarding both the crack initiation and the crack propagation at 700° C, while it does not improve the life to crack initiation at 900° C. Grain-boundary sliding is considerably inhibited by the strengthening of grain boundaries at 700° C. The amount of it in steels with serrated grain boundaries is less than about one-third of that of steels with straight grain boundaries at the same creep strain. The stress dependence of grain-boundary sliding rate in the steady-state regime is also examined from the steels with these two types of grain-boundary configuration.     

Robust stability—degree assignment and its applications to the control of flexible structures

A new method of robust controller synthesis is introduced which is an extension of robust stabilization to robust stability-degree assignment. This method guarantees a lower bound of stability degree for all uncertainties within a prescribed magnitude band. The method is applied to the control of four types of flexible structures, namely, colocated beam, non-colocated beam, beam with moving base and large scale satellite model. Excellent performances have been obtained experimentally with respect to the response speed and the robustness.     

Enhancement of catalytic activity of alumina by copper addition for selective reduction of nitrogen monoxide by ethene in oxidizing atmosphere

The catalytic activity of alumina for the title reaction has been found to be greatly improved by the loading of copper. The addition of copper resulted in lowering the active temperature region, the higher maximum activity, and the enhancement of the reaction rate. The maximum effect was observed at 0.3 wt% of the loading amount of copper. A similar enhancement was also confirmed on SiO₂-Al₂O₃.     

Mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes and their polymer nanocomposites

More than 10 years have passed since carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been found during observations by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Since then, one of the major applications of the CNT is the reinforcements of plastics in processing composite materials, because it was found by experiments that CNT possessed splendid mechanical properties. Various experimental methods are conducted in order to understand the mechanical properties of varieties of CNT and CNT-based composite materials. The systematized data of the past research results of CNT and their nanocomposites are extremely useful to improve processing and design criteria for new nanocomposites in further studies. Before the CNT observations, vapor grown carbon fibers (VGCF) were already utilized for composite applications, although there have been only few experimental data about the mechanical properties of VGCF. The structure of VGCF is similar to that of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), and the major benefit of VGCF is less commercial price. Therefore, this review article overviews the experimental results regarding the various mechanical properties of CNT, VGCF, and their polymer nanocomposites. The experimental methods and results to measure the elastic modulus and strength of CNT and VGCF are first discussed in this article. Secondly, the different surface chemical modifications for CNT and VGCF are reviewed, because the surface chemical modifications play an important role for polymer nanocomposite processing and properties. Thirdly, fracture and fatigue properties of CNT/polymer nanocomposites are reviewed, since these properties are important, especially when these new nanocomposite materials are applied for structural applications.     

Al2O3-MgO-ReO x (Re: Rare Earth)-Based LTCC and its Application to Multilayer Non-Shrinkage Substrate for Microwave Devices

We studied the dielectric properties of Al₂O₃-MgO-ReO_x (Re: rare earth) systems in the microwave region and found that the magnetoplumbite phases in the MgO-poor regions of MgReAl₁₁O₁₉ (Re: La Tb) compositions had positive TCF (temperature coefficient of resonance frequency) values in spite of having low dielectric constants of under 20. By mixing a lead-free glass with the above system, a novel LTCC (which we term an AMSG) was obtained that was characterized by a low dielectric constant (< 10), a near zero TCF, and high bending strength. When firing these AMSG green sheets inserted between HTCC alumina or magnesia green sheets that cannot be sintered at the AMSG sintering temperature, the AMSG sheets were seen to shrink not in the x-y directions but in the z direction due to the constraining effects of the HTCC layers. The obtained non-shrinkage substrate had precise dimensions and a high degree of flatness. The AMSG and the non-shrinking techniques have potential for application to integrated RF modules in mobile communications equipment.     

Comparisons of sperm quality, morphometry and function among human sperm populations recovered via SpermPrep II filtration, swim-up and Percoll density gradient methods

The purpose of this study was to compare the morphology/morphometry and fertilizing capacity of human spermatozoa recovered via swim-up method, Percoll density gradient method, and SpermPrep II filtration method. Thirty-three ejaculates were equally divided into 2 aliquots. Aliquot 1 was processed via the direct swim-up method, whereas aliquot 2 was filtered via a SpermPrep II column. The Percoll density gradient method was compared with the SpermPrep II method in a similar protocol using 43 ejaculates. Sperm populations recovered via the SpermPrep II filtration method showed significantly higher hypoosmotic swelling test results, acrosin profiles, and percentage of hyperactivated spermatozoa than sperm fractions recovered by the swim-up method. Furthermore, significant differences were found in most of sperm morphometric parameters between the above sperm populations. However, sperm fractions recovered via the SpermPrep II method did not show significantly different values for these same tests and for most of sperm morphometric parameters compared to the Percoll density gradient method. These results suggest that the SpermPrep II filtration and Percoll density gradient method are equally efficient in isolating sperm subpopulations with better functional parameters than the swimup method.     

Monomeric dihydroperoxide concentrates from autoxidized methyl docosahexaenoate

An amount of 97% methyl docosahexaenoate (obtained from mackerel pike oil) was prepared, and then its autoxidized products were concd by a countercurrent extraction procedure. By partition chromatography, the autoxidized concs were separated into three fractions. From the first fraction, methyl docosahexaenoate monomeric dihydroperoxide concs were obtained for the first time, though the presence of the dihydroperoxide had been ascertained by the authors before. The dihydroperoxide concs were identified by determining the peroxide value, the mol wt, and UV and IR spectra. From IR data it was confirmed that weak absorptions due toa-methylene groups and C=C stretching vibrations, respectively, were present in the concs. Thetrans-trans conjugated diene andcis nonconjugated double bond absorptions appear as relatively strong bands, but thecis-trans conjugated one is weak. Therefore, the molecules of the concs may have relatively symmetrical structures. The second fraction eluted after the first one contains the products to which the dihydroperoxides have changed on the chromatographic column.     

A method for reproducing apparent continuous depth in a stereoscopic display using “Depth‐Fused 3D” technology

Abstract— A new method that can present fine depth increments in a stereoscopic display is proposed. In typical stereoscopic displays, depth can be presented by binocular disparity, but binocular disparity of less than one pixel cannot be displayed because, in general, electronic displays have discrete pixels. We combined binocular disparity and modulation of the edge luminance in DFD (depth‐fused 3D) displays. In an experiment, the perceived depth could be continuously changed by modulating the edge luminance only. Therefore, continuous depth can be produced by combining binocular disparity and modulation of edge luminance distribution.