Boson peak and structural heterogeneity in ternary SiO2-Al2O3-B2O3 glasses

We use low-temperature heat capacity, low-frequency Raman scattering, and THz time domain spectroscopy in order to scale the vibrational density of states and the Boson peak in SiO₂-Al₂O₃-B₂O₃ Yb-laser host glasses. When substituting B₂O₃ for SiO₂ at constant Al₂O₃ dopant level, we find an optimal value for the ratio of B/Al in terms of mixture stability, at which the excess in the electron donor capability of Al₂O₃ (relative to the SiO₂ backbone) is compensated by the more acidic B₂O₃. At this composition, Al₂O₃ plays a mediating role in the structure of aluminoborosilicate glasses, facilitating dissolution of Yb₂O₃ and admixture of B₂O₃ into the SiO₂ network.     

Preparation of Carbon-Doped TiO2 Nanopowder Synthesized by Droplet Injection of Solution Precursor in a DC-RF Hybrid Plasma Flow System

Carbon-doped titanium dioxide nanopowder has received much attention because of its higher photocatalytic performance, which is practically activated not only by UV, but also by visible light irradiation. In the present study, C-TiO₂ nanopowder was synthesized by droplet injection of solution precursor in a DC-RF hybrid plasma flow system, resulting in higher photocatalytic performance even under visible light irradiation. In-flight C-TiO₂ nanoparticles reacted with the high concentration of carbon in plasma flow and were then deposited on the surfaces of two quartz tubes in the upstream and downstream regions of this system. The collected C-TiO₂ nanopowder contained anatase-rutile mixed-phase TiO₂ and TiC, the contents of which depended on the location of the powder collection, the temperature, and the duration of plasma treatment. Highly functional C-TiO₂ nanopowder collected in the downstream region exhibited a higher degradation rate of methylene blue than that of single-phase anatase TiO₂, even under visible light irradiation, in spite of being TiC.     

Fabrication of high‐strength steel fibre reinforced metal matrix composites by explosive bonding and their tensile properties

Summary

Steel fibre reinforced metal matrix composites (FRM) consisting of high‐strength ductile steel wire and aluminium or titanium foil were fabricated by explosive bonding. The strength properties were evaluated by tensile tests. The optimum explosive loading (explosive mass/driver plate mass) increases with the volume fraction of fibre. For the aluminium matrix composites, the micrographs obtained show sound bonding between the adjoining foils and non‐bonding between the foil and steel wire. The tensile strength of the aluminium matrix composites is 80% of the value predicted by the rule of mixtures. For the titanium matrix composites, the micrographs obtained show both bonded and unbonded regions between the adjoining foils or between the foil and steel wire. The tensile strength of the titanium matrix composites agrees with the value predicted by the rule of mixtures.     

Resolution of Epoxydienes by Reversed-Phase Chiral HPLC and its Application to Stereochemistry Assignment of Mulberry Looper Sex Pheromone

Resolution of insect pheromonal cis-epoxydiene racemates derived from (Z,Z,Z)-3,6,9-trienes was examined with a reversed-phase chiral HPLC column. The results showed that a Chiralcel OJ-R column was suitable for separating the enantiomers having a C₁₇–C₂₃ unsaturated straight chain except for 9,10-epoxydienes with a C₂₁–C₂₃ chain. To determine the absolute configuration of the separated enantiomers, each of the optically active epoxydienes was hydrogenated over Pd-BaSO₄ and its behavior was examined on this chiral column by cochromatography with the corresponding chiral epoxy compound having a saturated chain, which was prepared via a Sharpless epoxidation reaction. This analysis showed that the dextrorotatory C₁₇–C₂₃ 3,4- and 6,7-epoxydienes and C₁₇–C₂₀ 9,10-epoxydienes with shorter R _ts possess (3S,4R)-, (6S,7R)-, and (9R,10S) configurations, respectively, and the levorotatory enantiomers with longer R _ts possess the opposite configuration. An abdominal tip extract of the mulberry looper, Hemerophila artilineata Butler (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae), included (9S,10R)-(Z,Z)-cis-9,10-epoxy-3,6-octadecadiene as a main sex pheromone component. The synthetic (9S,10R)-9,10-epoxydiene, rather than its antipode, elicited strong antennal and behavioral responses from the male moths in electrophysiological and field tests.     

A novel spherical carbon

We developed a novel spherical carbon material. The spherical carbon is composed of a high density of carbon nanotubes or nanofilaments, and includes an oxidized diamond particle as a core. Syntheses of this carbon in high volume with high selectivity may be possible. It is expected that this carbon will be useful as a catalyst material for fuel cells, electric double-layer capacitors, etc.     

Fundamental Behavior of Direct-Coupled Submicrosecond Pulse Energization in Electrostatic Precipitators

The fundamental characteristics of the direct-coupled pulse energization in electrostatic precipitators (EP's) are investigated in a test rig comprised of a coal pulverizing facility, a furnace, a gas cooling system, and an EP. The EP consisted of a corona electrode with barbed wires and a collection electrode with 300-mm duct spacing. This simulates the type of EP normally used in a coal-fired power station. The pulse-energized collection field shows a very high collection performance of more than 99 percent collection efficiency and the performance enhancement compared to the conventional dc energization, causing very severe back corona, becomes as large as H = 2.50.H is the enhancement factor in terms of the Deutsch migration velocity in the case of the very high resistivity dust of rd = 2 x 1013 ?cm at the gas temperature of Tg = 150°C. Even at the lower level of the dust resistivity at Tg = 110°C, where no back corona occurs in the dc-energized collection field, the performance enhancement is as large as H = 1.21. The mechanism of such great performance enhancement is likely to be the result of the very uniform and very intense formation of corona plasmas on the wires as a result of the very fast rise in the pulse voltage applied and a special sawtooth waveform of the operating voltage between the corona and collection electrodes.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of 〈<Emphasis Type="Bold">c</Emphasis>+<Emphasis Type="Bold">a</Emphasis>〉 dislocation core structure in hexagonal-close-packed metals

The core structures of 〈c+a〉 dislocations in hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) metals have been investigated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation using a Lennard-Jones-type pair potential. The 〈c + a〉 edge dislocation has two types of core at 0 K; one is a perfect dislocation (type A), and the other has two 1/2 〈c+a〉 partials (type B). Type A transforms to type B by abruptly increasing temperature from 0 K to 293 K, while type B is stable in temperature range from 0 K to 293 K. In contrast, type A extends parallel to (0001) at 30 K, and this extended core is still stable at 293 K. These results suggest that the 〈c+a〉 edge dislocation glides on the {11 2} as two 1/2 〈c+a〉 partial dislocations and becomes sessile due to changes of the core structure. The 〈c+a〉 screw dislocation spreads over two {10 1} planes at 0 K. The core transforms into a unsymmetrical structure at 293 K, which is spread over {11 2} and {10 1}, and core spreading occurs parallel to {11 2} at 1000 K. A critical strain to move screw dislocations depends on the sense of shear strain. The dependence of the yield stress on the shear direction can be explained in terms of these core structures. This article is based on a presentation made in the symposium entitled “Defect Properties and Mechanical Behavior of HCP Metals and Alloys” at the TMS Annual Meeting, February 11–15, 2001, in New Orleans, Louisiana, under the auspices of the following ASM committees: Materials Science Critical Technology Sector, Structural Materials Division, Electronic, Magnetic & Photonic Materials Division, Chemistry & Physics of Materials Committee, Joint Nuclear Materials Committee, and Titanium Committee.     

Simultaneous three-dimensional step-height measurement and high-resolution tomographic imaging with a spectral interferometric microscope

A noncontact, nonmechanical scanning, wide-field spectral interference microscope is developed for simultaneous measurement of three-dimensional step-height of discontinuous objects and tomographic imaging. A superluminescent diode (SLD) is used as a broadband light source and a liquid-crystal Fabry-Perot interferometer (LC-FPI) as a frequency-scanning device. By means of changing the injection current to the SLD, the spectral profile of the SLD is equalized, and a constant light input to the interferometer is achieved over the entire frequency-scan range. The Fourier-transform technique is used to determine both the amplitude and the phase of spectral fringe signals. Three-dimensional height distribution of a discontinuous object is obtained from the phase information, whereas optically sectioned images of the object are obtained either from the amplitude information alone or from the combination of both the amplitude and phase information. Experimental results with submicrometer resolution are presented for both step-height measurement and tomographic sectioning.     

Travel Time Reliability in Vehicle Routing and Scheduling with Time Windows

This paper presents calibration of the Vehicle Routing and scheduling Problems with Time Windows-Probabilistic (VRPTW-P) model which takes into account the uncertainty of travel times. Probe vehicle data of travel times were obtained from usual operation of pickup-delivery trucks in South Osaka area. The optimal solution of the VRPTW-P model resulted in reducing total cost, running times and CO₂, NOx and Particle Materials (PM) emissions compared with the usual operation. This is attributed to better routing of VRPTW-P to choose more reliable roads. Therefore, VRPTW-P can contribute to establish efficient and environmentally friendly delivery systems in urban area.     

COCOVILA – Compiler-Compiler for Visual Languages

A compiler-compiler for visual languages is presented. It has been designed as a framework for building visual programming environments that translate schemas into textual representation as well as into programs representing the deep meaning of schemas. The deep semantics is implemented by applying attribute grammars to schema languages; attribute dependencies are implemented as methods of Java classes. Unlike compiler-compilers of textual languages, a large part of the framework is needed for support of interactive usage of a visual language.