Surface treatment of titanium dioxide nanopowder using rotary electrode dielectric barrier discharge reactor

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanopowder (P-25;Degussa AG) was treated using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in a rotary electrode DBD (RE-DBD) reactor.Its electrical and optical characteristics were investigated during RE-DBD generation.The treated TiO2 nanopowder properties and structures were analyzed using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).After RE-DBD treatment,XRD measurements indicated that the anatase peak theta positions shifted from 25.3° to 25.1°,which can be attributed to the substitution of new functional groups in the TiO2 lattice.The FTIR results show that hydroxyl groups (OH) at 3400 cm-1 increased considerably.The mechanism used to modify the TiO2 nanopowder surface by air DBD treatment was confirmed from optical emission spectrum measurements.Reactive species,such as OH radical,ozone and atomic oxygen can play key roles in hydroxyl formation on the TiO2 nanopowder surface.     

Microbial Sensors for the Detection of Fish Freshness

A microbial sensor system consisting of immobilized living spoilage-causing bacterium, Alteromonas putrefaciens, and an oxygen electrode was prepared and applied to the continuous determination of fish freshness. Fish freshness was expressed as a ratio of A/B, where A is the current decrease of the microbial sensor obtained by the application of l0–50 μL fish extract and B is the current decrease by the equivalent volume of culture medium. Freshness of bluefin tuna and yellowtail meats stored in ice for up to 2 weeks was determined by both the proposed and the conventional K value enzyme sensor method. Good comparative results were obtained. One assay could be completed within 13 min.     

Design of Polarization-independent Wavelength-interleave Coupler in Fluorinated Polyimide Waveguide

Based on the measurement of dispersion characteristic and birefractive index of the fluorinated polyimide film,a statistical optimum design method is proposed and used to realize the design of 32-and 36-wavelengths optical waveguide wavelength-interleave coupler (i,e.,interleaver) with the optimization of polarization fluctuation and wavelength interval of 0.8nm at 1550nm. The largest cross coupling ratios of the two interleavers are respectively less than 1.8% and 3.5%, while the least through coupling ratios are respectively greater than 98. 2% and 96. 5%. The output differences due to polarization fluctuation are less than 1.7% and 3.2%     

Preparation and Luminescence Spectra of Calcium- and Rare-Earth (R = Eu, Tb, and Pr)-Codoped α-SiAlON Ceramics

Rare-earth-doped oxynitride or nitride compounds have been reported to be luminescent and may then serve as new phosphors with good thermal and chemical stabilities. In this work, we report the photoluminescence (PL) spectra of europium-, terbium-, and praseodymium-doped Ca-α-SiAlON ceramics. The highly dense ceramics were prepared by hot pressing at 1750°C for 1 h under 20 MPa in a nitrogen atmosphere. Europium-doped Ca-α-SiAlON displayed a single broad emission band peaking at λ= 550–590 nm depending on the europium concentration. The emission bands in the spectra of europium-doped Ca-α-SiAlONs were assigned to the allowed transition of Eu²⁺ from the lowest crystal field component of 4 f ⁶5 d to ⁸S_7/2 (4 f ⁷) ground-state level. The emission spectra of terbium- and praseodymium-doped Ca-α-SiAlON ceramics both consisted of several sharp lines, which were attributed to the ⁵D₄→⁷F _j ( j = 3, 4, 5, 6) transitions of Tb³⁺ and ³P₀→³H _j ( j = 3, 4, 5) transitions of Pr³⁺, respectively. In particular, the terbium-doped α-SiAlON ceramics showed a strong green emission among these phosphors.     

Dissolution of phase-separated domains after a jump to a temperature in the single-phase region

Phase-separated domains prepared in the two-phase region were dissolved at a temperature in the single-phase region, and their dissolution dynamics was studied by using the time-resolved light scattering (TRLS) technique and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The time t_ps of preparation of domains was chosen to be long enough for phase separation to proceed into the late stage. The scattered light intensity at small wavenumbers increased before it attenuated. As t_ps increased, the increase at smaller wavenumbers became more significant and the peak intensity decreased only slightly with dissolution time. The characteristic wavenumber q_m evaluated from TRLS and SEM followed the power-law relation q_mt^−0.3.     

Synthesis of polymeric microspheres employing SPG emulsification technique

Relatively uniform polymeric microspheres, the coefficients of variation being close to 10%, were obtained by the BPO-initiated suspension polymerization of styrenic monomers. Unlike the conventional stirred-tank system, a particular microporous glass membrane (SPG) provided uniform monomer droplets continuously when monomer was allowed to permeate through the micropores. The monomer droplets were suspended in an aqueous solution containing the stabilizing agents, transferred to a stirred vessel, and polymerized. Up to 10μm spheres, of a far narrower size distribution than those obtained by conventional microsuspension polymerization spheres, were obtained. The initial droplet size and distribution were retained with the successful suppression of secondary particle nucleation by the addition of hydroquinone in the aueous phase. Crosslinked polystyrene spheres were also synthesized in the presence of various low-molecular-weight diluents. While a good solvent, toluene, was not so effective; poor solvents, n-heptane and n-heptane, easily yielded the microporous structure, the specific surface area being as high as 160 m²/g. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Distributed architecture for energy management D-structure

Electric power systems are expanding in size and complexity, and the requirement for the energy management system (EMS) is becoming more important. In this computer control system, a single control computer is used mainly as the primary computer and its software is very complicated because of its hugh number of small, quick tasks to obtain high response speed. Therefore, much effort is needed to develop and modify the programs, and the responsiveness of this centralized architecture varies greatly when many faults occur in the power system. This paper describes a new distributed architecture for the EMS. Distributed processors execute the functions cooperatively with periodic access to the common bulletin board database in which information about the power system exist. This architecture facilitates the software development and maintenance, and it also enhances the performance by the parallel processing of the distributed functions.     

Microstructural Analysis of Liquid-Phase-Sintered β-Silicon Carbide

The microstructures of fine-grained β-SiC materials with α-SiC seeds annealed either with or without uniaxial pressure at 1900°C for 4 h in an argon atmosphere were investigated using analytical electron microscopy and high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). An applied annealing pressure can greatly retard phase transformation and grain growth. The material annealed with pressure consisted of fine grains with β-SiC as a major phase. In contrast, the microstructure in the material annealed without pressure consisted of elongated grains with half α-SiC. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis showed no differences in the amount of segregation of aluminum and oxygen atoms at grain boundaries, but did show a significant difference in the segregation of yttrium atoms at grain boundaries along SiC grains for the two materials. The increased segregation of yttrium ions at grain boundaries caused by the applied pressure might be the reason for the retarded phase transformation and grain growth. HREM showed a thin secondary phase of 1 nm at the grain boundary interface for both materials. The development of a composite grain consisting of a mixture of β/α polytypes during annealing was a feature common to both materials. The possible mechanisms for grain growth and phase transformation are discussed.     

Decomposition of Mullite by Silica Volatilization

Thermal decomposition of mullite into corundum was investigated using a high-temperature X-ray single-crystal camera equipped with a gas-flame furnace and by scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). When heated to ∼1750°C, mullite decomposed to corundum by the liberation of the SiO₂ component with topotaxial relations of:

• (1) 

  (310)_mull∥(001)_cor; [001]_mull∥[110]_cor
• (2) 

  (130)_mull∥(001)_cor; [001]_mull∥[110]_cor
• (3) 

  (110)_mull∥(001)_cor; [001]_mull∥[110]_cor

Thus, it was considered that, when mullite decomposed into corundum, their oxygen close-packed planes were almost preserved. The SEM photographs showed that the crystals of the developed corundum are prismatic and ∼5 μm wide. The EPMA showed that the phase boundary between mullite and developed corundum is discontinuous.