Electrical conductivity of chemically dehydrochlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) films doped with electron acceptors

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) films were effectively dehydrochlorinated by the reaction with aqueous sodium hydroxide solutions in the presence of tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) or tetrabutylphosphonium bromide (TBPB). The obtained black films were doped with iodine, ferric chloride, or boron trifluoride. By doping, the electric conductivity markedly increased up to the order of 10^?3 S cm^?1. The activation energy of the conduction was 0.36 eV. The effects of casting solvent, film thickness, and film drawing are described. The change in IR spectrum by doping was discussed in terms of the formation of positively charged polyenes due to electron transfer from the dehydrochlorinated PVC to the dopants.     

Studies on syntheses and permeabilities of special polymer membranes: 50. Transport of metal ions against their concentration gradient through water-insoluble poly(styrene sulphonic acid) membrane

Water-insoluble cation exchange membranes were prepared by heat treating membranes made of poly(styrene sulphonic acid) and poly(vinyl alcohol). Transport of metal ions through the above cation exchange membrane against their concentration gradient was investigated under various conditions. The transport in this system, where one side of the membrane in a diaphragm cell was acidic and the other alkaline, was influenced significantly by the initial H⁺ ion concentration on the acidic side. The selectivity of metal ions in diffusive transport depended on the size of their hydrated ions and that in transport against their concentration gradient was due to the affinity between the metal ions and the carrier fixed to the membrane.     

Preparation of a visible-light-active TiO2 photocatalyst by RF plasma treatment

In order to realize a visible (vis)-light-active TiO₂ photocatalyst, reduction treatment using low-temperature hydrogen plasma with elevated temperatures was applied on anatase TiO₂ powder of ST-01 without causing a phase transition to rutile. According to plasma-heat treatment, oxygen was evacuated from ST-01 particles and the colored ST-01, ivory to beige, was obtained. XPS results showed non-stoichiometric, expressed as TiO_2–x } and x was increased with the increase of treating time. Plasma-heat treated ST-01 showed new ESR signal at g = 2.003 assigned to electrons trapped at the oxygen-defect site. This signal was strengthened when vis-light illumination was applied. Results of vis-light activity tests, evaluated by photocatalytic oxidation of benzoic acid in liquid phase and 2-propanol in gas phase using vis-light illumination (>406 nm), showed excellent activity while low ST-01 showed almost no activity on both tests.     

Economic evaluation of demand‐side energy storage systems by using a multi‐agent‐based electricity market

With the wholesale electric power market opened in April 2005, deregulation of the electric power industry in Japan has faced a new competitive environment. In the new environment, Independent Power Producer (IPP), Power Producer and Supplier (PPS), Load Service Entity (LSE), and electric utility can trade electric energy through both bilateral contracts and single‐price auction at the electricity market. In general, the market clearing price (MCP) is largely changed by the amount of total load demand in the market. The influence may cause a price spike, and consequently the volatility of MCP will make LSEs and their customers face a risk of higher revenue and cost. DSM is attractive as a means of load leveling, and has an effect on decreasing MCP at peak load period. Introducing Energy Storage systems (ES) is one DSM in order to change demand profile at the customer side. In the case that customers decrease their own demand due to increased MCP, a bidding strategy of generating companies may be changed. As a result, MCP is changed through such complex mechanism. In this paper the authors evaluate MCP by multi‐agent. It is considered that customer‐side ES has an effect on MCP fluctuation. Through numerical examples, this paper evaluates the influence on MCP by controlling customer‐side ES corresponding to variation of MCP. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 167(3): 36–45, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20658     

Tunable dispersion equalizer with a divided thin-film heater for40-Gb/s RZ transmissions

We have developed tunable dispersion equalizers with a chirped fiber grating on the divided thin-film heater. The divided thin-film heater took an important role in the control of dispersion and dispersion slope. We successfully demonstrated the dispersion control from -304 to -196 ps/nm, the dispersion slope control from +100 to -300 ps/nm², and good performance in 40-Gb/s return-to-zero transmission by using this tunable dispersion equalizer     

ITER tungsten divertor design development and qualification program

In November 2011, the ITER Council has endorsed the recommendation that a period of up to 2 years be set to develop a full-tungsten divertor design and accelerate technology qualification in view of a possible decision to start operation with a divertor having a full-tungsten plasma-facing surface. To ensure a solid foundation for such a decision, a full tungsten divertor design, together with a demonstration of the necessary high performance tungsten monoblock technology should be completed within the required timescale. The status of both the design and technology R&D activity is summarized in this paper.     

Possible Biosynthetic Pathways for all <Emphasis Type="Italic">cis</Emphasis>-3,6,9,12,15,19,22,25,28-Hentriacontanonaene in Bacteria

A very long chain polyunsaturated hydrocarbon, hentriacontanonaene (C31:9), was detected in an eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-producing marine bacterium, which was isolated from the mid-latitude seashore of Hokkaido, Japan, and was tentatively identified as mesophilic Shewanella sp. strain osh08 from 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The geometry and position of the double bonds in this compound were determined physicochemically to be all cis at positions 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 19, 22, 25, and 28. Although C31:9 was detected in all of the seven EPA- or/and docosahexaenoic acid-producing bacteria tested, an EPA-deficient mutant (strain IK-1Δ8) of one of these bacteria had no C31:9. Strain IK-1Δ8 had defects in the pfaD gene, one of the five pfa genes responsible for the biosynthesis of EPA. Although Escherichia coli DH5α does not produce EPA or DHA inherently, cells transformed with the pfa genes responsible for the biosynthesis of EPA and DHA produced EPA and DHA, respectively, but not C31:9. These results suggest that the Pfa protein complex is involved in the biosynthesis of C31:9 and that pfa genes must not be the only genes responsible for the formation of C31:9. In this report, we determined for the first time the molecular structure of the C31:9 and discuss the possible biosynthetic pathways of this compound.     

Three-dimensional observation of nanoscale ferroelectric domains using scanning nonlinear dielectric microscopy with electric field correction by Kelvin probe force microscopy

An advanced technique for the measurement of three-dimensional ferroelectric domain structure is described. Scanning nonlinear dielectric microscopy is used to measure the polarization components both perpendicular and parallel to the specimen surface. A nanoscale electric field correction is devised and performed using Kelvin probe force microscopy to allow more precise measurement of the nanoscale polarization component parallel to the specimen surface. Using this electric field correction, three-dimensional imaging of the ferroelectric polarization orientation is demonstrated.     

A study of economic evaluation of demand‐side energy storage system in consideration of market clearing price

In Japan the electricity market will open on April 1, 2004. Electric utility, Power Producer and Supplier (PPS), and Load Service Entity (LSE) will join the electricity market. LSEs purchase electricity based on the Market Clearing Price (:MCP) from the electricity market. LSEs supply electricity to the customers that contracted with the LSEs on a certain electricity price, and one to the customers that introduced Energy Storage System (:ES) on a time‐of‐use pricing. It is difficult for LSEs to estimate whether they have any incentive to promote customers to introduce ES or not. This paper evaluates the reduction of LSEs' purchasing cost from the electricity market and other LSEs' purchasing cost by introducing ES to customers. It is clarified which kind of customers has the effect of decreasing LSEs' purchasing cost and how much MCP of the whole power system the demand‐side energy storage systems change. Through numerical examples, this paper evaluates the possibility of giving the cost merit to both customers with energy storage systems and LSE by using real data for a year's worth of MCP. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 158(1): 22–35, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20447     

Growth of crack-free lithium tetraborate (Li2B4O7) single crystals

Abstract

The mode of occurrence and the origin of cracking of lithium tetraborate (Li₂B₄O₇) during growth by CZ method have been investigated. It is considered that crystal cracking can be divided into two main modes of occurrence. Each origin of cracking have been examined; 3-inch-diameter crack-free Li₂B₄O₇ have been successfully grown.