Visualization of TiO2 Reduction Behavior in Molten Salt Electrolysis

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B - An in situ observation technique of the TiO2 interfacial behavior in molten LiCl-KCl electrolysis was developed. The variation of the thin TiO2...     

Local out-of-plane deformation of CFRP ablator subjected to rapid heating

This study investigates local out-of-plane deformation of a carbon fiber reinforced phenolic polymer ablator subjected to very rapid heating. Local out-of-plane deformation was measured using a three-dimensional digital image correlation technique at high temperatures. This was achieved by attaching high temperature resistant random patterns on the specimen surface using a ceramic bond. Additionally, blue filters intended for cutting strong infrared radiation from the specimen were also used. This study then discusses the mechanisms of the local out-of-plane deformation under rapid heating conditions in terms of carbonization, pyrolysis gas occurrence, gas pressure storage, and interlaminar debonding due to gas pressure.     

Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) gel‐based macroporous monolith for continuous‐flow recovery of palladium(II) ions

Macroporous monoliths, composed of thermoresponsive, tertiary‐aminated, and crosslinking monomers, were prepared for continuous‐flow separation of palladium(II) ions. N ‐Isopropylacrylamide was required to form the porous structure in the monoliths, indicating that the mechanism of porous structure formation involved polymerization‐induced phase separation of the poly(N ‐isopropylacrylamide) gel. Tertiary‐aminated monoliths showed adsorption selectivity for palladium(II) ions in hydrochloric media, compared with copper(II) ions. The maximum capacities of the monoliths with tertiary amine contents of 10, 20, 30, and 70 mol % for palladium(II) ions were 0.6, 1.1, 1.3, and 2.3 mmol/g, respectively. Darcy's permeabilities of water through the macroporous monolith were 10^?14 to 10^?13 m², and those were comparable to that through a commercially available membrane filter with a pore size of several micrometers. In the continuous‐flow process, the macroporous monolith with tertiary amine selectively adsorbed palladium(II) ions in the coexistence of copper(II) ions with 10 times higher concentration than the palladium(II) ions. The palladium(II) ions were eluted from the macroporous monolith, and the concentration of palladium(II) ions in the eluate was up to 45 times of that in the feed solution. The average enrichment factor and total recovery percentage of palladium(II) ions were 8.7 times and 95%, respectively. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134 , 44385.     

Column-mode phosphate removal by a novel highly selective adsorbent

A phosphoric acid resin RGP was immobilized with zirconium(IV) (Zr(IV)) to investigate its applicability in phosphate removal. When loaded with Zr(IV), RGP was changed into an effective ligand exchanger with phosphate sorption capacity of 0.345 mmol/ml. Little metal leakage was observed. Breakthrough of phosphate sorption depended on solution acidity and phosphate concentration. An increase of solution pH greatly suppressed phosphate removal, but even at pH 8.21, about 56% of the added phosphate (2.8mM) in the feed solution could still be sorbed. Electrolytes in the aqueous solution did not interfere with phosphate sorption; on the contrary, an enhancement effect was observed. Due to the high sorption capacity of Zr(IV)-loaded RGP, low concentration of phosphate can be removed at high flow rate (100 h(-1) in space velocity). The sorbed phosphate on the Zr(IV)-loaded RGP could be quantitatively eluted with 0.5M sodium hydroxide solution. The Zr(IV)-loaded RGP is a promising ligand exchanger for treating wastewater containing trace amounts of inorganic phosphate.     

Preparation of Transparent Polyimides Derived from cis‐ and trans‐Dicyclohexyl‐3,3′,4,4′‐tetracarboxylic Dianhydrides

Two series of alicyclic polyimides composed of cis‐ and trans‐dicyclohexyl‐3,3′,4,4′‐tetracarboxylic dianhydrides (DCDAs) and aromatic diamines were prepared. All cis‐polymers could be readily prepared both in a one‐step method and a two‐step method. However, a two‐step method is preferably applied in the preparation of trans‐polymers, because in a one‐step method the trans‐configuration is partially lost at higher temperatures. These polyimide solutions could be cast into tough and flexible films, which were characterized by inherent viscosity, GPC, DSC, TGA measurements, and UV‐vis spectroscopy. The glass transition temperatures (T_g's) of the polymers were in the range of 210–270°C and the 5% weight loss temperatures were around 480°C for all PIs prepared. The optical transmittances of these films were more than 80% at 350 nm for ca. 15 μm thickness.     

Agglomeration of particles by ac corona discharge

Improving the collection efficiency for particles smaller than 1 μm on every precipitator is important. We sought to improve the collection of these particles on an ESP due to particle agglomeration. Particles are charged by ac corona discharge in a precharger and agglomerated by a dc electric field in an agglomerator downstream of the precharger. Diesel exhaust particles were used as particulate matter for the experiments. The distribution of particle size was measured using a particle counter and a scanning electron microscope. By these methods, particles as small as 0.01 μm could be counted. Results showed the agglomeration between particles at ac corona discharge operating mode. The concentration of particles smaller than approximately 0.35 μm decreases, and that of particles larger than approximately 0.35 μm increases in the agglomerator. The agglomeration rate increases with increasing applied voltage, then saturates. These results may be due to the size distribution and to decrease of concentration by agglomeration. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 130(1): 30–37, 2000     

Effects of arc current and electrode size on electrode erosion in ac plasma torches

Heavy erosion of the electrode is a problem in using ac plasma torches. In a series of our studies, the effects of electrode stem size (diameter and length) and tip shape on the electrode erosion were clarified at a low current of 200 A. In this paper, on the basis of the 200-A data, in order to reduce the electrode erosion with the current increased, the effects of current and electrode size on electrode erosion were clarified experimentally and analytically between 100 and 550 A. The electrode used was of solid type and the material was tungsten containing 2 wt% of lanthanum oxide. The plasma gas was argon. Main results are as follows. (1) As the current increased, the electrode erosion increased linearly. In the case of thin electrodes (8 mm ø), between 450 and 550 A, the electrode tip was molten partially and the electrode erosion increased rapidly over 5 mg/h. However, for thick electrodes (13 mm ø), the electrode erosion did not increase rapidly. (2) The temperature distribution along the electrode axis was calculated. As a result, a good correlation was obtained between the calculated temperature of electrode tip and the measured electrode erosion. As the tip temperature decreased to 3000 K (cf. tungsten melting point: 3660 K), the electrode erosion decreased below 5 mg/h of the linearly increasing range.     

Preparation of poly(amide-imide)s derived from biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydrides

Four new diimide-dicarboxylic acids (I–IV) were prepared by condensation of s- or a-BPDA with para- or meta-aminobenzoic acid. A series of aromatic poly(amide-imide)s containing these diimide-dicarboxylic units was prepared by three methods: (1) acid chloride method, (2) triphenylphosphite method, and (3) one-pot method. A typical polymer of the series is readily soluble in polar aprotic solvents such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), and pyridine (py) and could be cast into tough and flexible films. These were characterized by inherent viscosity, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements. The glass transition temperatures of these polymers were in the range of 220–290°C, and the 5% weight loss temperatures were 450–500°C. Films prepared by casting from polymer solutions exhibited good tensile properties. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 63: 865–873, 1997     

Accumulation of Misfolded Protein Aggregates Leads to the Formation of Russell Body-like Dilated Endoplasmic Reticulum in Yeast

RNAP-I, an aspartic proteinase from a filamentous fungus Rhizopus niveus, is secreted very efficiently in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is synthesized first as a precursor form with signal sequence and prosequence in its amino-terminus. Our previous study indicated that the prosequence of RNAP-I had important roles in its correct folding and secretion in yeast, and that a prosequence-deleted derivative of RNAP-I, Δpro, was not secreted but was retained and degraded in the yeast endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In the present study, we show that the accumulation of Δpro in the yeast ER caused elevated synthesis of ER resident chaperones, indicating that Δpro is recognized as an unfolded protein species in the ER. Our biochemical data demonstrated that Δpro formed aggregates which contained BiP, but not protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), in the ER. Immunoelectron microscopical analysis revealed that the Δpro aggregates were indeed visible as electron-dense regions in the ER and nuclear envelope. Such ‘chaperone-associated misfolded protein bodies’ were observed for the first time in yeast. Morphologies of the ER and nucleus were drastically altered by the accumulation of the Δpro aggregates. The ER lost its flat cisternal shape; the ER lumen extended aberrantly and the ER membrane irregularly proliferated. The misfolded Δpro proteins are probably sorted from the ordinary ER lumen to form the aggregates so that the ER function would not be grossly impaired, and the dilated ER may represent an ER subcompartment where the Δpro aggregates are degraded. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Correlation between network structure and brittleness of triallyl isocyanurate resins as compared with diallyl phthalate resins

It is not possible to improve the toughness of triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC) resins by applying the procedures useful for diallyl phthalate (DAP) resins as typical allyl resins. The results obtained are discussed in connection with the network structure of TAIC resin. Thus, the polymerization of TAIC would provide a homogeneous network accompanied by the incomplete occurrence of intermolecular crosslinking reactions caused by the rigidity of polymer chains, although DAP resins would consist of the microheterogeneous networks as the agglomerate of colloidal particles.