Piezoelectric properties in (K0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-BaTiO3 lead-free ceramics.

Lead-free piezoelectric ceramics with compositions around the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) x(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-y(K0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-zBaTiO3 [x + y + z = 1; y:z = 2:1] were synthesized using conventional, solid-state processing. Dielectric maximum temperatures of 280 degrees C and 262 degrees C were found for tetragonal 0.79(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-0.14(K0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-0.07BaTiO3 (BNBK79) and MPB composition 0.88(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-0.08(K0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-0.04BaTiO3 (BNBK88), with depolarization temperatures of 224 degrees C and 162 degrees C, respectively. Piezoelectric coefficients d33 were found to be 135 pC/N and 170 pC/N for BNBK79 and BNBK88, and the piezoelectric d31 was determined to be -37 pC/N and -51 pC/N, demonstrating strong anisotropy. Coercive field values were found to be 37 kV/cm and 29 kV/cm for BNBK79 and BNBK88, respectively. The remanent polarization of BNBK88 (approximately 40 microC/cm2) was larger than that of BNBK79 (approximately 29 microC/cm2). The piezoelectric, electromechanical, and high-field strain behaviors also were studied as a function of temperature and discussed.     

Density estimation with minimization of U-divergence

This paper is concerned with density estimation based on the stagewise minimization of the U-divergence. The U-divergence is a general divergence measure involving a convex function U which includes the Kullback-Leibler divergence and the L ₂ norm as special cases. The algorithm to yield the density estimator is closely related to the boosting algorithm and it is shown that the usual kernel density estimator can also be seen as a special case of the proposed estimator. Non-asymptotic error bounds of the proposed estimators are developed and numerical experiments show that the proposed estimators often perform better than several existing methods for density estimation.     

Fabrication of X-rays mask with carbon membrane for diffraction gratings

We have produced diffraction gratings for obtaining high resolution X-ray phase imaging, such as X-ray Talbot interferometer. These diffraction gratings were required to have a fine, high accuracy, high aspect ratio structure. Therefore, we decided to use the X-rays lithography technique that used synchrotron radiation of the directivity for a manufacture process. The accuracy of the completed structure depends largely on the accuracy of the X-ray mask. In our group, a resin material is conventionally used for the membrane of large X-ray masks. However, X-ray masks comprising a resin membrane have the disadvantage that, after several cycles of X-ray exposure, they crease and sag due to X-ray-derived heat. As a substitute for the conventional resin membrane, we experimentally fabricated a new X-ray mask using a carbon wafer membrane. The newly fabricated X-ray mask was subjected to X-ray exposure experiment. We succeeded in making the structure body which was almost shape. And the experimental results verified that the new mask did not deteriorate even when used repeatedly, demonstrating that it was highly durable.     

Specific heat anomaly of nonstoichiometric U4O9−y

A λ-type specific heat anomaly of U₄O_9?y, which occurs slightly above room temperature, was measured for the samples with different O/U ratios. The transition temperatures obtained from the peak of λ-type specific heat anomaly are in fairly good agreement with the data by X-ray diffraction and electrical conductivity measurements. The entropy increment for the transition was obtained to be 0.46 e.u. for UO_2.250, 0.56 e.u. for UO_2.240 and 0.70 e.u. for UO_2.228, depending on O/U ratio. On the basis of the entropy change with O/U ratio, the mechanism of the phase transition is discussed. The entropy change due to the phase transition is mainly divided into two terms: one is due to the order-disorder rearrangement of U(IV) and U(V) ions,the other is associated with the displacement of oxygens ions. The former term is estimated to be rather smaller than the entropy change calculated by the Bragg-Williams approximation, and the latter is calculated using the X-ray diffraction data with the assumption of the Willis model.     

Sensory Characteristics of Apple Juice Evaluated by Consumer and Trained Panels

ABSTRACT: To identify sensory characteristics of unclarified apple juice and to compare unclarified and clarified types, 140 consumers and 10 trained panelists evaluated 16 commercial apple juice samples (4 clarified and 12 unclarified). Unclarified and clarified juices were clearly separated by the first principal component (PC1), whose main factor was fresh, green, and sweet aroma. It was difficult to predict consumer preference by regression models using trained panel preference and analytical attributes. Mapping consumers' overall preferences on a sensory profile made by PC1 and PC2, the consumer panel preferred apple juice with moderately increased fresh and green aroma and thoroughly decreased sour and astringent.     

Carbon Dioxide Sensor Mechanism of Porous Hydroxyapatite Ceramics

Hydroxyapatite and Cl⁻ -containing hydroxyapatite powders are prepared and characterized. Reversible substitution of CO^2-₃ for OH⁻ at the surface is presumed to be responsible for the sensor function. The role of Cl⁻, which is necessary to realize the sensor function and is incorporated during soaking treatment, is considered as follows. It may reduce the strain caused by the incorporation of CO^2-₃ (which is larger than OH⁻), and, hence, promote the reversible substitution reaction. This behavior is presumed because Cl⁻ -containing hydroxyapatite samples exhibit sensor characteristics typical of CO₂ without any treatment.     

细化钢铁材料晶粒的原理与方法

细化晶粒是控制金属材料组织结构的最重要、最基本的方法,目前,实际应用的成块材料可获得的最细的铁素体晶粒约为5μm。获得细晶粒的方法有利用相变和再结晶的热处理（或形变热处理）,钢液超速冷却,机械合金化,超细粒子烧结和非晶体结晶等。形变热处理对晶粒细化极为有效,已以实验室规模获得了具有小于或等于1μm的超细晶组织的成块材料。本文以形变热处理为中心,介绍了控制轧制、加速冷却的形变热处理（TMCP）,以及形成微细双相组织、亚晶大角度化等细化晶粒的方法,从金相学角度阐述了细化晶粒的原理和方法的现状及最新进展。     

Distribution of double bonds in thermally degraded polyisobutylene

The distribution of double bonds in thermally degraded polyisobutylene was determined quantitatively by using pulsed Fourier transform ¹H n.m.r. spectroscopic analysis. The double bonds in the degraded polymer did not exist in the interior but at the terminal positions of the polymer chain. These olefins were of the terminal trisubstituted and terminal vinylidene types. The content of the former was much greater than that of the latter. This shows that radical chain transfer predominantly occurs at the methylene hydrogen rather than at the methyl groups of the polymer chain. The average number of double bonds per molecule, f, was greater than 1 and tended to be near 2. Thereby most of the degraded polyisobutylene was shown to have two terminal unsaturations per molecule.