Automated X‐ray inspection method for fillet‐less mounted chip components

Chip components mounted on the printed circuit board are rapidly being miniaturized. Furthermore, the fillet‐less chip soldering technique, which does not use a solder fillet, is widely used in portable products such as mobile phones. However, there is no method to inspect the soldering of fillet‐less chip mounting. In this paper, we propose an automated X‐ray inspection technique for fillet‐less chip mounting. It extracts three inspection parameters from the X‐ray image. In the experiments, we evaluate the repeatability and inspecting ability of the technique and confirm that sufficient information for failure detection is obtained. An automated X‐ray inspection system using this technique is now in operation at some factories, so in conclusion our automated method would be useful in practice. Copyright © 2007 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

活性硅醇与ENR开环反应及对硫化胶力学性能的影响

以过氧羧酸为环氧化剂,制得环氧化天然橡胶(ENR)。通过从水玻璃中提取的活性硅醇与ENR的开环反应,得到含硅杂化材料ENR-SiO2,测试了其对NE硫化胶力学性能的影响,发现含硅杂化材料对NR硫化胶有明显的增强作用。     

Preparation of micron-scale monodisperse oil-in-water microspheres by microchannel emulsification

Micron-scale monodisperse oil-in-water (O/W) micropheres (MS) were prepared using a novel microchannel (MC) emulsification technique. The characteristics of the MS preparation and the O/W-MS prepared were studied. Soybean oil and medium-chain triacyglycerol (MCT) were used as the disprrsed phase, and physiological saline was used as the continuous phase. Silicon MC with 1 to 3μm-equivalent channel diameters were employed. A novel MC module was devised to easily recover the O/W-MS prepared. The effects of the channel shape on the behavior of MS formation, on the MS size, and on the distribution were investigated. An MC with a terrace at the MC outlet stably yielded micron-scale monodisperse O/W-MS; the MS had diameters of about 5 μm, and their coefficients of variation were below 9%. Monodisperse food-grade O/W-MS with diameters of about 4 μm could be obtained by using polyglycerol fatty acid ester as the surfactant. The size and size distribution of the recovered O/W-MS remained almost constant over 60 d, demonstrating their long-term stability.     

Continuous emulsion polymerization of styrene in a single Couette–Taylor vortex flow reactor

The effect of the geometrical and operational parameters on the mixing characteristics of a Couette–Taylor vortex flow reactor (CTVFR) were investigated and were correlated with the same parameters by using the tank‐in‐series model. Continuous emulsion polymerization of styrene was conducted at 50°C in a CTVFR to clarify the effects on kinetic behavior and reactor performance of operational parameters such as rotational speed of inner cylinder (Taylor number), reactor mean residence time, and emulsifier and initiator concentrations in the feed streams. It was found that steady‐state monomer conversion and particle number could be freely varied only by varying the Taylor number. In order to explain the observed kinetic behavior of this polymerization system, a mathematical model was developed by combining the empirical correlation of the mixing characteristics of a CTVFR and a previously proposed kinetic model for the continuous emulsion polymerization of styrene in continuous stirred tank reactors connected in series (CSTRs). On the basis of these experimental results, it was concluded that a CTVFR is suitable for the first reactor (prereactor) of a continuous emulsion polymerization reactor system. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 80: 1931–1942, 2001     

Large-area uniform dust-free plasma CVD

In the weak magnetic field perpendicular to the discharge electric field, both the electrons and positive ions are transported in the direction of E×B drift by the space charge electric field produced by the preceded electrons. As a result, radicals are generated uniformly outside of discharge space between the electrodes in the direction of E×B drift. On the other hand, negatively charged heavy particles such as dust particles can be removed from discharge space in the direction opposite to E×B drift of plasmas. The authors have studied the transport mechanisms of magnetized dusty plasmas and its applications for the large-area uniform a-Si:H thin film deposition in plasma CVD methods. This paper reviews the transport phenomena and the transport mechanisms of dust particles and the results of film preparation under particle-free process conditions.     

Sulfidation Properties of Ni–20Cr and Ni–13.5Co–20Cr Alloys at 873 K under Low Sulfur Pressures in H2S-H2 Atmospheres

The sulfidation properties of Ni–20Cr and Ni–13.5Co–20Cralloys as well as a nickel-base superalloy AISI685 were investigated at873 K in H₂S–H₂ gas mixtures with sulfur partial pressures of10^–4, 10^–5.5, and 10^–7Pa by mass-gain measurements,electron-probe microanalysis (EPMA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD)analysis. Sulfidation obeyed the parabolic rate law, and the parabolic rateconstants decreased in the order Ni–20Cr, Ni–13.5Co–20Cr,and AISI685 at each sulfur pressure. With decreasing sulfur pressure, therate constants first decreased slowly and then rapidly at a 10–7 Pasulfur pressure. At both 10^–4 and 10^–5.5 Pa sulfur pressures,Ni–20Cr formed a surface scale with a duplex structure of inner(Cr₃S₄) and outer (Ni₃S₂) layers, while Ni–13.5Co–20Cr formeda triplex structure of inner (Cr₃S₄), intermediate(Ni,Co)Cr₂S₄, and outer[Ni₃S₂+(Co,Ni)₉S₈] layers. Thesurface scale formed on AISI685 was verycomplex, comprising at least four layers, a fibrous (Co,Ni)₉S₈ top surface,outer [Ni₃S₂+(Co,Ni)₉S₈], and intermediate [(Cr,Ti)₃S₄] layers, as well asan inner layer containing Cr, Ti, Mo, Al, and S. At the 10^–7 Pa sulfurpressure, which is lower than the dissociation pressure of Ni₃S₂, bothNi–20Cr and Ni–13.5Co–20Cr formed a surface scale ofCr₃S₄ covered by a thin NiCr₂S₄ layer, accompanied by copious internalsulfidation of Cr₃S₄ and/or CrS. On AISI685 there was a surface scale of(Cr,Ti)₃S₄ accompanied by the usual internal sulfidation. It is discussedthat diffusion of cations in the inner Cr₃S₄ layer is the rate-determiningstep for the growth of the multilayer structures. At the 10^–7 Pasulfur pressure, diffusion of Cr and S contribute to form a thin surfacescale and internal sulfidation, respectively.     

缓变弯道河道冲刷试验研究

有关弯道水流及其河道演变特性的研究一直为人们所关注。本文引入了在直线段和单一曲率圆弯道间插入曲率渐变的过渡段这一新的弯道型式,舒缓水流冲击力和离心力作用,以减轻水流对河床及堤身、堤脚的冲蚀破坏。作者首先对这一弯道和圆弯道的水流流速、副流强度进行了数值模拟的计算和比较;又通过变换床沙、流量及放水时间,进行了24组合的动床试验;最后,通过整理分析所有实验数据,对插有缓变曲线的弯道的减蚀作用进行了探讨。结果表明：插有缓变曲线的弯道可以减轻水流对两岸堤身和堤脚的冲蚀破坏;在弯道同一横断上的最大冲深与沙洲波高的比值最终稳定在0．58。     

Identification of Multiple Domains of Entamoeba histolytica Intermediate Subunit Lectin-1 with Hemolytic and Cytotoxic Activities

Galactose and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-inhibitable lectin of Entamoeba histolytica have roles in the pathogenicity of intestinal amoebiasis. Igl1, the intermediate subunit lectin-1 of E. histolytica, has been shown to have both hemolytic and cytotoxic activities that reside in the C-terminus of the protein. To identify the amino acid regions responsible for these activities, recombinant proteins were prepared and used in hemolytic and cytotoxic assays. The results revealed that Igl1 has multiple domains with hemolytic and cytotoxic activities and that amino acids 787-846, 968-1028 and 1029-1088 are involved in these activities. The hemolytic activities of the fragments were partly inhibited by mannose, galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine, and glucose showed lower or negligible inhibitory effects for the activities. This is the first report of a protozoan protein with hemolytic and cytotoxic activities in multiple domains.     

Immunomagnetic flow cytometric detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin B in raw and dry milk

A rapid and sensitive method for detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in raw and dry milk samples with the use of antibody-based immunomagnetic separation (IMS) in conjunction with flow cytometry (FCM) was developed. Sheep anti-SEB immunoglobulin G (IgG) was immobilized on Dynabeads M-280. The SEB initially binds to the capturing antibody, which is bound on the magnetic beads. The rabbit anti-SEB IgG binds to the captured toxin and is further labeled with a Cy5-labeled goat anti-rabbit IgG antibody. The percentage of the beads that were fluorescent was measured by FCM. FCM was carried out for 1 min, and the data obtained were expressed as histograms for particle size (forward light scatter) and histograms for fluorescence intensity. A peak corresponding to the magnetic beads was clearly distinguished from a peak derived from contaminating particles in the sample solution. In the absence of SEB, about 10% of the beads emitted fluorescence. The percentage of fluorescent beads and the fluorescence intensity increased with increasing SEB concentrations. For this IMS-FCM assay, the lower limits of detection for SEB were estimated to be 0.01 and 0.25 ng/ml for buffer and milk samples, respectively.     

Evaluation of drug toxicity with hepatocytes cultured in a micro-space cell culture system

A micro-space cell culture system was recently developed in which cells such as hepatocytes can be cultured and formed into a multicellular three-dimensional (3D) architecture. In this study, we assessed the performance of HepG2 cells cultured in this micro-space cell culture system in a drug toxicity test, and evaluated the effects of micro-space culture on their hepatocyte-specific functions. The micro-space cell culture facilitated the formation of 3D HepG2 cell architecture. HepG2 cells cultured in a micro-space culture plate exhibited increased albumin secretion and enhanced mRNA expression levels of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme compared to those cultured in a monolayer culture. When the cells were exposed to acetaminophen, a hepatotoxic drug, the damage to the HepG2 cells grown in micro-space culture was greater than the damage to the HepG2 cells grown in monolayer culture. In addition, human primary hepatocytes grown in micro-space culture also exhibited increased albumin secretion, enhanced CYP mRNA expression levels and increased sensitivity to acetaminophen compared to those grown in monolayer culture. These results suggest that this micro-space culture method enhances the hepatocyte-specific functions of hepatocytes, including drug-metabolizing enzyme activities, making hepatocytes grown in the micro-space culture system a useful tool for evaluating drug toxicity in vitro.