Dielectric breakdown properties of polylactic acid with β‐crystalline chitin

β‐Crystalline chitin was added to polylactic acid (PLA), and this PLA was then heat treated at 100 °C for 1 min. The crystallinity of the heat‐treated PLA increased to more than 40%, and its crystallization speed also increased significantly. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the dielectric breakdown strength (E_B) was checked, and it was found that at a temperature of 80 °C, the E_B value of the PLA with chitin was around 1.8 times greater than that of the PLA without chitin. © 2011 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Wettability of pure Ti by molten pure Mg droplets

The wetting behavior of molten pure Mg droplets on pure Ti substrate, a crucial phenomenon in the design of Mg matrix composites reinforced with Ti particles, was investigated by the sessile drop method. The contact angle was measured in high-purity argon (99.999%) at 1073 K. In particular, the effects of two important parameters on the contact angle were evaluated: Mg evaporation during the wetting test; and surface oxide film of the substrate. The calculation method to estimate the modified contact angle involved taking the morphological changes of the droplet outline due to the evaporation into consideration. By changing the thickness of the surface oxide films on the Ti substrate, it was possible to examine the wettability and the chemical reactions at the interface between the solidified Mg drop and the substrate were investigated by scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry analysis. At the initial wetting stage, a large contact angle with 95–110° was obtained, which depended on the reduction of TiO₂ surface films by Mg droplets. When the molten Mg contacts an area of pure Ti after reduction, the contact angle suddenly decreased. The equilibrium value at the stable state strongly depended on the surface roughness of the Ti plate.     

Synthesis of superconducting Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ single crystals using alumina crucibles with different purities

A self‐flux method is the simplest technique for synthesizing Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+δ (Bi‐2212) superconducting single crystals. However, the crystals are inevitably contaminated because of the Bi‐2212 stoichiometric melt reacting with the crucible material. In this paper, we investigate the nonsuperconducting subproduct that forms during heating in the self‐flux method for synthesizing Bi‐2212. This subproduct was identified as BiSr₂CaAl₃O₉ by X‐ray diffraction. Bi‐2212 crystal growth was performed using A1₂O₃ crucibles with three different purities (nominally 97, 99.7, and 99.9%). For both the 97 and 99.7% purity crucibles, the subproduct was observed in all five samples out of five, whereas for the 99.9% purity crucible, it was observed in only two samples out of five. Furthermore, the 99.9% purity crucible gave a much lower subproduct volume than the 97% purity crucible. The average superconducting critical temperature (T_c,zero) varied depending on the crucible purity; it was 89.6, 90.8, and 91.8 K for the 97, 99.7, and 99.9% purity crucibles, respectively. Finally, we fabricated Bi‐2212 stacked devices with intrinsic Josephson junctions (Bi‐2212 stack) using as‐grown crystals from the 97 and 99.9% purity crucibles. The Bi‐2212 stacks exhibited a highly hysteretic current–voltage characteristic even at liquid N₂ temperature and they had identical quality parameters for Josephson junctions (i.e., I_r/I_c and voltage jump V_j). We conclude that the subproduct formation has little effect on the electrical characteristics of a Josephson junction device at 77 K. © 2012 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

An Investigation of Microstructure and Phase Transformation Behavior of Cu40Zn-1.0 wt.% Ti Brass Via Powder Metallurgy

The effects of Ti addition on phase transformation, precipitation behavior, and microhardness response of Cu40Zn brass were investigated at elevated heat treatment (HT) temperatures using the powder metallurgy method. The volume fraction of the α phase increased with the elevated temperatures, which showed an equal value as that of the β phase at 400 °C, and reached a maximum value of 55.9% at 500 °C. The solid solubility of Ti in Cu40Zn brass matrix decreased as the HT temperature increased. Supersaturated Ti showed high chemical potential for precipitates' reaction in Cu40Zn brass. Lower HT temperature retained higher Ti solid solubility and fine precipitates. The precipitates presented in form of Cu₂TiZn intermetallic compound, distributing uniformly in brass matrix which suppressed the phase and grain growth. After HT at elevated temperature, the precipitates coalesced, grew coarser, and segregated at the primary particle boundaries. The microhardness of the BS40-1.0Ti compact was primarily not only dependent on the solid solubility of Ti, but also dependent on the phase volume fraction of the α and β phases.     

Effect of graphite content on properties of B4C‐W2B5 ceramic composites by in situ reaction of B‐Gr‐WC

Strip‐shaped W₂B₅ reinforced B₄C ceramic composites were prepared via in situ reaction of boron(B)‐graphite(Gr)‐WC system by powder metallurgy (P/M). In order to study the effect of the graphite content on the properties of the as‐fabricated ceramic composites, the powder mixture of B‐Gr‐WC with various amounts of Gr powder were blended and consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The sintering parameters were shown as following: sintering pressure was set as 30 MPa; The three‐step sintering temperature was 1100‐1550‐1700°C and the duration time was set as 5‐5‐6 minutes, respectively. In situ formed strip‐shaped W₂B₅ particles were dispersed homogeneously in B₄C matrix, which resulted in a remarkable improvement on the fracture toughness and mechanical properties. Appropriate 5vol% residual Gr in the composite shows positive effect on the mechanical properties which achieved an optimal counter‐balance of fracture toughness and hardness, the relative density was 99.8%, the Vickers hardness can reach 30.2 GPa, and the fracture toughness was 11.9 MPa·m^1/2 when the sintering temperature was set at 1700°C.     

Crystallization Behavior of Diacylglycerol-Rich Oils Produced from Rapeseed Oil

We examined the crystallization behavior of high-melting fractions in liquid oil containing high concentrations of diacylglycerols (DAG >80%) (hereafter referred to as DAG-rich oil). By differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy at moderate cooling rates, crystallization in the DAG-rich oil was detected at around 6 °C. It was found that the crystallization extent increased with decreasing temperatures of crystallization below 0 °C. A gas chromatographic analysis was performed on the crystallized fractions, which were separated by filtration at different periods of isothermal crystallization at 3 °C. The results indicated that at earlier crystallization periods, the concentrations of 1,3-disaturated DAG such as palmitic and stearic acid moieties (15 min) and 1,3-saturated–unsaturated mixed-acid DAG including oleic acid, palmitic, and stearic acid moieties (15 min–3 h) were predominant. However, the concentrations of 1,3-diunsaturated DAG including oleic acid moiety increased after a crystallization period of 6 h. To clarify the sequential crystallization process of DAG, we examined the binary mixing behavior of principal DAG components occurring in the rapeseed-based DAG-rich oil. It was evident that 1,3-disaturated DAG, 1,3-saturated–unsaturated mixed-acid DAG, and 1,3-diunsaturated DAG exhibited immiscible behavior. From these data, basic information on the precipitation processes in DAG-rich oils at chilled temperatures was obtained.     

Electrochemical etching using surface carboxylated graphite electrodes in ultrapure water

Electrochemical etching enables processing with an atomic-level accuracy, without deteriorating the physical properties of the workpiece; however, contamination of its surface with electrolytes is unavoidable. If it is possible to carry out electrochemical etching without using electrolytes, such a process will be applicable to electronic device manufacturing and precision nanoscale processing of semiconductor materials. In addition, this process does not require the use of chemicals, cleaning after processing or disposal of waste fluid, which results in a low-cost and environmentally friendly process. To develop an electrochemical etching process that does not require the use of electrolytes, we proposed a method in which a functional-group-modified electrode is used as the cathode. A carboxylated graphite electrode was prepared by treating a graphite electrode with sulfuric acid. Electrolysis of ultrapure water was carried out using the obtained electrode as a cathode. The results indicate that the electrolysis current obtained using the modified electrode is approximately six-fold that obtained using an unmodified electrode. Furthermore, we can etch a Cu surface conically in ultrapure water. The current efficiency increases by 70% at maximum, and the minimum current required for electrochemical etching decreases compared with that in the case of using an unmodified electrode.     

Opposite changes in serum soluble CD8 in patients at the active stages of Graves' and Hashimoto's diseases

Serum concentrations of soluble CD8 (sCD8) were examined by enzyme immunoassay in 154 patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases and 46 healthy controls. The numbers of peripheral CD8+ cells were also examined in the same subjects by flow cytometry. The serum concentrations of sCD8 were increased in patients with stimulative thyrotoxicosis caused by active Graves' disease, and decreased in patients with transient destructive thyrotoxicosis caused by the aggravation of Hashimoto's disease, and normal in euthyroid and hypothyroid patients with Graves' or Hashimoto's disease. The ratios of serum sCD8 levels to the numbers of CD8+ cells were increased in thyrotoxic patients with active Graves' disease, but not with active Hashimoto's disease, suggesting an increase in sCD8 production by CD8+ cells in active Graves' disease. The serum concentrations of sCD8 were correlated with the serum levels of thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) and thyroid hormones in Graves' disease. These data indicate that serum sCD8 proteins change in opposite directions in the active stages of Graves' and Hashimoto's diseases, and may represent the disease activities.