Improved heat and solvent resistance of a pressure‐sensitive adhesive thermally processable by isocyanate dimer dissociation

Methods that do not involve use of an organic solvent are being considered for manufacturing environmental‐friendly pressure‐sensitive adhesive tapes. Among these methods, the hot‐melt method exhibits high productivity but is somewhat limited in terms of performance. Hot‐melt‐fabricated pressure‐sensitive adhesives require heating fluidization and cooling solidification, and it is extremely difficult to improve their heat resistance. We examine thermally processable pressure‐sensitive adhesives with a completely new structure, fabricated based on the thermal dissociation of the isocyanate dimer. This enables thermal processing of materials softened by thermal dissociation. Fabrication of crosslinkable pressure‐sensitive adhesive becomes possible through a reaction of isocyanate caused by dissociation of its dimer. It is found that improving thermal and solvent resistances, which are disadvantages associated with conventional hot‐melt pressure‐sensitive adhesives, is potentially possible with the pressure‐sensitive adhesive reported here. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41444.     

Synthesis of Succinic Gemini Surfactants and the Effect of Stereochemistry on Their Monolayer Behaviors

In this work, succinic gemini surfactants, dl‐ and meso‐2,3‐bis(alkyl)succinic acids (alkyl: C₆H₁₃–C₁₃H₂₇), were successfully synthesized by oxidative coupling of enolates of fatty acid tert‐butyl esters with copper(II) bromide followed by treatment with CF₃COOH. Focusing on the influence of stereochemistry (dl‐ and meso‐) of succinic geminis, their monolayer behaviors at the air–water interface were explored using surface pressure–area (Π–A) isotherms, the compression modulus of monolayers (ε_s), and Brewster angle microscope (BAM) analysis. meso‐2,3‐Bis(undecyl)succinic acid showed a unique isotherm where the surface pressure drastically decreased at A = ~0.56 nm² (Π = 21.9 mN m^?1) regardless of compression rates and subphase temperatures, while dl‐isomer showed the common isotherm of gas → liquid‐expanded → liquid‐condensed phase transitions. BAM analysis on meso‐2,3‐bis(undecyl)succinic acid films at the air–water interface showed that small islands of aggregates appear just after the maximum pressure (A = ~0.56 nm²), and on further compression needle‐shaped assemblies appear that can grow in size. It was reasonably concluded that hydrophobic interactions can operate more effectively in meso‐isomers than in dl‐isomers, and that meso‐molecules can “jump up” to cause a transition from monolayer to bilayer. This is the first finding of the “jumping‐up” phenomenon of gemini surfactants having meso‐stereochemistry.     

Improving the photovoltaic performance of co‐evaporated Cu2ZnSnS4 thin‐film solar cells by incorporation of sodium from NaF layers

We have investigated the influence of sodium (Na) on the properties of co‐evaporated Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) layer microstructures and solar cells. The photovoltaic performance and diode properties were improved by incorporating Na from NaF layers into the CZTS layers, while Na had a negligible effect on the microstructural properties of the layer. The best cell fabricated by using an optimal CZTS layer (Cu/(Zn + Sn) = 0.70, Zn/Sn = 1.8) yielded an active area efficiency of 5.23%. The analysis of device properties suggests that charge‐carrier recombination at CZTS/CdS interface is suppressed by intentional Na incorporation from NaF layers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stability of liquid‐crystal layers based on the analysis of the adsorption on the alignment‐layer surface

Abstract— The adsorption strength of liquid‐crystal molecules on the alignment‐layer (polymer) surface was judged measuring temperature dependence of birefringence of an absorbed liquid‐crystal layer above the nematic—isotropic transition temperature. The relationship between the surface‐order parameter and the adsorption strength of liquid‐crystal molecules on the non‐rubbed polymer surface was also discussed.     

A fuzzy model to control the temperature in the cooling of metal molds with a spray robot

In a die-casting operation, the die spray is the key to quality and productivity, but the die-spray operation depends on parameter settings such as the spray volume and the operator's experience, even when a robot sprayer is used. The purpose of this study was to establish an intelligent system to control the surface temperature of a die with a water-based mist spray. A fuzzy model was applied to determine the optimum mist spray volume. The results generated show a good match with the actual measurements of the rate of the temperature drop versus the spray-mist volume. After the fuzzy analysis, the spray parameters calculated were used to control an actual die temperature experiment conducted on a heated plate model. The fuzzy model constructed by using fundamental experiments allowed the die spray operation to maintain a predetermined spray volume. This work was presented in part at the Fourth International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 19–22, 1999     

Characterization of carbonaceous films deposited on metal substrates by liquid-phase electrodeposition in methanol

In this study, we report the characterization of carbonaceous films deposited on metal substrates by liquid-phase electrodeposition in methanol. The characterization of carbonaceous films by electrodeposition was examined by means of Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), atom probe (AP) and high resolution-elastic recoil detection analysis (HR-ERDA). From these results, it was found that the films deposited on the metal substrates were composed of the sp² and sp³ carbon contents, of which the ratio was about 7:3. Furthermore, the films by electrodeposition contained much hydrogen. The hydrogen contents in the surface were about 60 at.% and those in the subsurface were a few 10 at.%.     

Optical spot-size converters for low-loss coupling between fibersand optoelectronic semiconductor devices

Structures of spot size converters that allow low loss and easy coupling between an optical semiconductor device and a fiber are proposed and designed theoretically. These spot-size converters have a tapered small core for expanding the mode field. They also have a double cladding region which consists of an n⁺-doped InP substrate as the outer cladding and a p-doped or nondoped InP layer as the inner cladding with a ridge structure. This double cladding utilizes the plasma effect of a carrier which makes the refractive index of highly doped n-InP lower than that of p-doped or nondoped InP. The double-cladding structure can tightly confine an expanded mode field in the inner cladding, and results in low radiation loss at the tapered waveguide, in addition, this structure reforms the mode field shape into a Gaussian-like shape and achieves a low loss coupling of less than 1 dB with a large misalignment tolerance for fiber coupling. These spot-size converters are easily fabricated and applicable to all types of optical semiconductor devices     

Observation of polymer film drawing by use of thermography. An introductory investigation on the thermodynamics

The local heat generation that accompanied tensile drawing of polymer films was successfully observed by infrared thermography as a series of temperature distribution images. These images showed that the high temperature part where rearrangements of molecular orientation and microcrystallines occurred was located mainly at the end of the necked part for the polymers that exhibited necking or appeared uniformly throughout films for the polymers that did not exhibit necking. The generated heat could be roughly estimated, and the relation between the estimated heat and mechanical work led to the thermodynamic investigation. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 2895–2900, 2006