Local structural arrangements around oxygen and hydrogen-related defects in proton conducting LaP3O9 investigated by first principles calculations

Local structural arrangements and stabilities of oxygen and hydrogen-related defects in proton-conducting LaP₃O₉ were studied using first principles calculations. When an oxygen was removed from LaP₃O₉, the crystal lattice was significantly distorted. Resulting structural arrangements considerably depended on the oxygen deficient site, and phosphate ions tended to condense by sharing a corner oxygen of PO₄ tetrahedra. On the other hand, when a proton was introduced, the proton was located at the interstitial sites positioned approximately 1 Å away from the nearest oxygen forming an O–H bond. The LaP₃O₉ lattice was only slightly distorted even after introduction of an interstitial proton. Based on the calculation results, the stabilities of the defects under moisturized conditions was discussed.     

Solution properties of hyperbranched polymers and synthetic application for amphiphilic star‐hyperbranched copolymers by grafting from hyperbranched macroinitiator

Hyperbranched polystyrenes (PS) were prepared by living radical photopolymerization of N,N‐diethyldithiocarbamoylmethylstyrene (DTCS) as an inimer under UV irradiation. Branched PS with an average chain length between branching points of four styrene units was also prepared by living radical copolymerization of DTCS with styrene. The ratio of radius of gyration to hydrodynamic radius R_G/R_H for these hyperbranched polymers was in the range 0.82–0.89 in toluene. The translational diffusion coefficient D(C) showed a constant value in the range of 0–14 × 10^?3 g ml^?1 in toluene. It was found from these dilute solution properties that hyperbranched PSs formed a unimolecular structure even in a good solvent because of their compact nature. These hyperbranched PSs exhibited large amounts of photofunctional carbamate (DC) groups on their outside surfaces. Subsequently, we derived amphiphilic star‐hyperbranched copolymers by grafting from hyperbranched macroinitiator with 1‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone. These star‐hyperbranched copolymers were soluble in water and methanol. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

How does an oxygen atom in the side chain affect the photophysical properties of alkoxy-substituted organopolysilane homopolymers and copolymers?

Alkoxy-substituted organopolysilane homopolymer (poly[SiMe(OR)]_n) and random copolymers (poly[SiMe(OR)]_m[SiMeR′]_n were synthesized and the solvatochromism and thermochromism for their absorption and fluorescence spectra were examined. The band maxima shifted to longer wavelengths with an increase in the ratio of the alkoxy side chains; however, the influence of the solvent was very small. The thermochromic shifts are dependent on the number of alkoxy side chains. Molecular dynamics calculation showed that the conformation of the polysilanes was determined by the Coulomb interaction between the alkoxy side chains, and the conformations of the polyalkoxysilanes are similar to those of polyalkylsilanes (poly[SiRR′]_n). Molecular orbital (MO) calculations manifested that the interaction between the orbitals of the oxygen atom in the side chain and those of the silicon atom in main chain (σ conjugation system) was larger in LUMO than in HOMO, and the decrease in LUMO energy shifted the absorption maxima to longer wavelength.     

Small-scale component experiments of the penetration leak characterization test in the ALPHA program

A small-scale penetration leak characterization test has been performed as a part of the ALPHA program at Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI). Two series of experiments were performed using test sections which simulate relevant parts of an EPA (Electrical Penetration Assembly) used in Japanese PWR containments. One of the test sections simulates an alumina module and the other includes the silicone resin portion of the EPA. The test section was heated in a leak test vessel which simulated thermal-hydraulic conditions inside and outside of the containment in a severe accident. From the experimental results, it was concluded that although the silicone resin may melt at high temperature, the alumina module will remain intact under severe accident conditions. The EPA as a whole is estimated to maintain leak-tightness during a severe accident. It was found in the experiments that heat conduction along the metal portion of the test section had a strong influence on the melt progression of the resin. It was also found that the measured strain of the alumina module was predominantly caused by the elevated temperature. Therefore, the thermal load will be more of a threat to the EPA's integrity rather than the pressure load.     

Development of radially movable multichannel Reynolds stress probe system for a cylindrical laboratory plasma

A new radially movable multichannel azimuthal probe system has been developed for measuring azimuthal and radial profiles of electrostatic Reynolds stress (RS) per mass density of microscale fluctuations for a cylindrical laboratory plasma. The system is composed of 16 probe units arranged azimuthally. Each probe unit has six electrodes to simultaneously measure azimuthal and radial electric fields for obtaining RS. The advantage of the system is that each probe unit is radially movable to measure azimuthal RS profiles at arbitrary radial locations as well as two-dimensional structures of fluctuations. The first result from temporal observation of fluctuation azimuthal profile presents that a low-frequency fluctuation (1-2 kHz) synchronizes oscillating Reynolds stress. In addition, radial scanning of the probe system simultaneously demonstrates two-dimensional patterns of mode structure and nonlinear forces with frequency f = 1.5 kHz and azimuthal mode number m = 1.     

Pressure balance at the liquid-liquid interface of micro countercurrent flows in microchips

An interfacial pressure balance model was proposed and verified for the elucidation of the physical mechanism of micro countercurrent flow in a hydrophilic-hydrophobic selective-modification microchannel. We considered the conditions of the microflow phase separation, where the phase separation entails a single phase flow in each output of the microchannel. In this pressure balance model, the pressure difference between the two phases due to pressure loss in each phase is balanced by the Laplace pressure generated by the interfacial tension at the liquid-liquid interface between the separated phases. When the pressure difference between the two phases is sufficiently low, the contact line between the two phases is pinned at the boundary between the hydrophilic and the hydrophobic surfaces. Since the contact angle is restricted to values between the advancing and receding contact angles, the Laplace pressure has a limit. When the pressure difference between the two phases exceeds the limiting Laplace pressure, one of the phases leaks into the output channel of the other phase, and the phase separation fails. In order to experimentally verify this physical picture, a microchip with an asymmetric cross section, whose hydraulic diameters were 19 and 102 mum, was used. In the microchip, a phase separation of a water-toluene micro countercurrent flow was achieved under pressure differences between an upper limit of 6.9 kPa and a lower limit of -9.3 kPa. The upper limit agreed well with the proposed model. The model is also applicable to cocurrent flows, so that it is useful for general multiphase microflows in continuous-flow chemical processing.     

Void growth and coalescence in model materials investigated by high-resolution X-ray microtomography

The influences of work hardening behavior of materials on ductile fracture, and especially on void growth and coalescence, have been investigated in model materials by in-situ X-ray computed tomography (XCT) coupled with tensile deformation. The model materials contain an artificial void array embedded in a metal matrix. By producing such materials with different metal matrices (pure copper, brass, Glidcop = copper strengthened by $\text{ Al}_{2}\text{ O}_{3}$ nanoparticles), the influences of the work hardening behaviors on void growth and coalescence/linkage process are analyzed. This set of experiments were performed at Japanese synchrotron radiation facility SPring-8 BL20XU beamline, whereby the X-ray tomography setup with one of the highest spatial resolution in the world is available. This beamline however provides less brilliant X-rays compared to the ESRF ID15 beamline where the our previous experiments were performed Hosokava et al. (Acta Mater, 60:2829–2839, 2012), (Acta Mater, 61:1021–1036, 2013). To compensate for the X-ray absorption problems, the specimens to be tested have to be much smaller, making the experiments more difficult. Nevertheless, the growth and linkage behaviors of the artificial voids were successfully visualized, and the plastic strain whereby the linkage takes place (referred to as the linkage strain, hereafter) were quantitatively captured. The models for void coalescence developed by Thomason and by Pardoen and Hutchinson both predict coalescence rather well for both brass and Glidcop, even though the linkage events were found to be dominated by the meso/macro shear localization process.     

Surface modification method of microchannels for gas-liquid two-phase flow in microchips

A capillarity restricted modification method for microchannel surfaces was developed for gas--liquid microchemical operations in microchips. In this method, a microstructure combining shallow and deep microchannels and the principle of capillarity were utilized for chemical modification of a restricted area of a microchannel. A hydrophobic--hydrophilic patterning in microchannels was prepared as an example for guiding gas and liquid flows along the respective microchannels. Validity of the patterning was confirmed by measuring aqueous flow leak pressure from the hydrophilic microchannel to the hydrophobic one. The leak pressure of 7.7-1.1 kPa agreed well with that predicted theoretically from the Young-Laplace equation for the microchannel depth of 8.6-39 microm. In an experiment to demonstrate usefulness and effectiveness of the method, an air bubble was first introduced into the hydrophilic microchannel and purged from the hydrophobic-hydrophilic patterned microchannels. Next, the patterning structure was applied to remove dissolved oxygen by contacting the aqueous flow with a nitrogen flow. The concentration of dissolved oxygen decreased with contact time, and its time course agreed well with numerical simulation. These demonstrations showed that the proposed patterning method can be used in general microfluidic gas-liquid operations.     

Bio-inspired data transmission scheme to multiple sinks for the long-term operation of wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks have a wide range of applications, such as natural environmental monitoring, object tracking, and environmental control in residential spaces or plants. In wireless sensor networks, many sensor nodes with limited resources are placed in an observation area and used to gather information about environments. Therefore, a data gathering scheme (or a routing algorithm) for saving and balancing the energy consumption of each sensor node is needed to prolong the lifetime of wireless sensor networks. This article proposes a new bio-inspired data transmission scheme for the long-term operation of wireless sensor networks. By using the proposed scheme, autonomous load-balancing data transmission to multiple sinks can be actualized. We evaluate the proposed scheme using computer simulations to verify its effectiveness, and also discuss its development potential.     

Antitumor Effects of Orally Administered Rare Sugar D-Allose in Bladder Cancer

D-allose is a rare sugar that has been reported to up-regulate thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) expression and affect the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the antitumor effect of D-allose is unknown. This study aimed to determine whether orally administered D-allose could be a candidate drug against bladder cancer (BC). To this end, BC cell lines were treated with varying concentrations of D-allose (10, 25, and 50 mM). Cell viability and intracellular ROS levels were assessed using cell viability assay and flow cytometry. TXNIP expression was evaluated using Western blotting. The antitumor effect of orally administered D-allose was assessed using a xenograft mouse model. D-allose reduced cell viability and induced intracellular ROS production in BC cells. Moreover, D-allose stimulated TXNIP expression in a dose-dependent manner. Co-treatment of D-allose and the antioxidant L-glutathione canceled the D-allose-induced reduction in cell viability and intracellular ROS elevation. Furthermore, oral administration of D-allose inhibited tumor growth without adverse effects (p < 0.05). Histopathological findings in tumor tissues showed that D-allose decreased the nuclear fission rate from 4.1 to 1.1% (p = 0.004). Oral administration of D-allose suppressed BC growth in a preclinical mouse model, possibly through up-regulation of TXNIP expression followed by an increase in intracellular ROS. Therefore, D-allose is a potential therapeutic compound for the treatment of BC.