Tangent height registration method for the Version 1.4 data retrieval algorithm of the solar occultation sensor ILAS-II

The Improved Limb Atmospheric Spectrometer-II (ILAS-II) is a satellite-borne solar occultation sensor onboard the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II (ADEOS-II). The ILAS-II succeeded the ILAS. The ILAS-II used four grating spectrometers to observe vertical profiles of gas volume mixing ratios of trace constituents and was also equipped with a Sun-edge sensor to determine tangent heights geometrically with high precision. The accuracy of gas volume mixing ratios depends on the accuracy of the tangent height determination. The combination method is a tangent height registration method that was developed to give appropriate tangent heights for the ILAS-II Version 1.4 data retrieval algorithm. This study describes the method used in the ILAS-II Version 1.4 retrieval algorithm to register tangent heights. The root-sum-square total random error is estimated to be 30 m, and the total systematic error is 180 m at an altitude of 30 km. The influence of the tangent height errors on the vertical profiles of gas volume mixing ratios in ILAS-II Version 1.4 is estimated by using the relative difference. The relative difference for each species is within 7% (20%) for an altitude shift of +/-100 m(+/-300 m).     

Membrane reactor immobilized with palladium‐loaded polymer nanogel for continuous‐flow Suzuki coupling reaction

A catalytic membrane reactor, which was immobilized with palladium‐loaded nanogel particles (NPs), was developed for continuous‐flow Suzuki coupling reaction. Palladium‐loaded membranes were prepared by immobilization of NPs, adsorption of palladium ions, and reduction into palladium(0). The presence of palladium in the membrane was confirmed by the scanning electron microscopy; palladium aggregation was not observed. The catalytic activity of the membrane reactor in continuous‐flow Suzuki coupling reaction was approximately double that of a comparable reactor in which palladium ions were directly adsorbed onto an aminated membrane. This was attributed to the formation of small palladium particles. The reusability in the continuous‐flow system was higher than that in a batch system, and the palladium‐loaded membrane reactor had high long‐term stability. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 582–589, 2015     

Preparation and characterization of carbonaceous materials containing nitrogen as electrochemical capacitor

Carbonaceous materials containing nitrogen (C/N materials) were prepared by a pyrolysis of 2,3,6,7-tetracyano-1,4,5,8-tetraazanaphthalene (CAN). A C/N material prepared by the pyrolysis of CAN at 1070 K (CAN-1070 K) had a C/N atomic ratio of 3.0 and a non-crystalline carbonaceous structure with a BET surface area of 880 m² g⁻¹. The material CAN-1070 K showed large capacitances of 160–180 F g⁻¹ and 110–120 F cm⁻³ in case of current density of 10 mA cm⁻² (2 A g⁻¹) by using three-electrode cell in 1 M H₂SO₄ aqueous solution, in comparison with that of activated carbon (160 F g⁻¹ and 55 F cm⁻³) having BET surface area of 2300 m² g⁻¹. ESCA study indicated that pyridinic and quarternary nitrogen atoms existed in the C/N materials, which could result in producing a pseudo-capacitance in addition to the electric double layer capacitance. Also introduction of nitrogen into the carbonaceous material could enhance the wettability of material, which might also improve the capacitance.     

Strain-time effects in low-cycle fatigue of nickel-base heat-resistant alloys at high temperature

A series of strain controlled low-cycle fatigue tests in the simulated high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) helium environment were conducted at 900°C on Hastelloy X and its modified version, Hastelloy XR. In those tests the effects of strain rate and hold time on high-temperature low-cycle fatigue behavior were investigated. Decreasing the strain rate led to notable reductions in the fatigue life. In the tests with the trapezoidal strain waveform, the fatigue life was found to be reduced most effectively in tensile hold-time experiments. The tendency was interpreted through the feature of the crack morphology.