The dissociation process in plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using tetraethoxysilane

Dissociation in plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition for SiO₂ deposition using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) was investigated by means of mass spectrometry. First we obtained the basic dissociation patterns of TEOS by electron impact. It was shown that TEOS was dissociated by electron impact at low electron energies below 7 eV, removing the ethyl group (C₂H₅). Next we determined dissociation patterns in TEOS/He plasma in order to eliminate the effect of oxidation. Finally, dissociation in TEOS/O₂ plasma was investigated. It was found that oxidation plays an indispensable role in the deposition of high-quality SiO₂ films due to the decrease in high-molecular-weight compounds with carbon and hydrogen, although TEOS is highly dissociated by electron impact. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 129(4): 32–38, 1999     

Effect on adhesion of new polymerization initiator systems comprising 5‐monosubstituted barbituric acids,aromatic sulfinate amides,and tert‐butyl peroxymaleic acid in dental adhesive resin

To develop a multipurpose dental adhesive resin, the effects of polymerization initiator systems comprising 5‐monosubstituted barbituric acid (5‐MSBA), aromatic sulfinate amide (ASA), and tert‐butyl peroxymaleic acid (t‐BPMA) with 4‐acryloxyethyltrimellitic acid (4‐AET) or its anhydride (4‐AETA) on adhesion and curing time were investigated. Tensile bond strength values of a Ni Cr alloy are affected by the inclusion of t‐BPMA, and the optimum concentration of t‐BPMA in a 5‐MSBA–ASA–t‐BPMA‐type initiator system was found to be 0.5–2.0 wt %, and it was noteworthy that the correlation between the tensile bond strength and curing time on the t‐BPMA‐concentration showed a highly negative correlation of a benzenesulfinate morphoride (BSMo) series adhesive: r = −0.957, and a p‐toluenesulfinate morphoride (p‐TSMo) series adhesive: r = −0.949. The combination of 1‐cyclohexyl‐5‐ethylbarbiturioc acid (CEBA) with ASA provides a high level of tensile bond strength to the Ni Cr alloy, and the optimum concentration of CEBA in a CEBA–ASA–t‐BPMA‐type initiator and the bond strength values were found to be 0.75 wt % CEBA: 52.3 MPa (with BSMo), and 1.0 wt % CEBA: 50.9 MPa (with p‐TSMo), respectively. It was suggested that 5‐MSBA, ASA, and t‐BPMA and their combinations provided the environment where 4‐AETA exhibited good bonding performance with increasing wettability to metal without interference of a charge‐transfer complex derived from a polymerization initiator system such as benzoyl peroxide (BPO)–amine. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 72: 1655–1668, 1999     

A tolerance criterion for tar concentration in a model wood gas for a nickel/scandia-stabilized zirconia cermet anode in a solid oxide fuel cell

Durability of a nickel and scandia-stabilized zirconia cermet anode against toluene in hydrogen was evaluated in this paper. Anode deterioration was judged by the loss of elemental nickel from a surface of an anode. Elemental nickel loss was observed when the toluene concentration was 3 or 10 g/Nm³, steam to carbon ratio was 1, and current density was 0.5 A/cm² at both temperatures: 1073 K and 1173 K. Therefore the tolerance criterion must be less than 3 g/Nm³ in hydrogen in the experimental conditions. However, the deterioration can be mitigated to some extent by increasing the operating temperature, steam-to-carbon ratio, or current density. Anode deterioration was also mitigated when hydrogen concentration in the fuel gas was nearly identical to that of wood gas. The influence of hydrogen concentration in the fuel gas on deterioration may be substantial. The loss of elemental nickel could not be detected instantaneously by electrochemical diagnosis.     

Fabrication of Ni compound nanocrystal/nanocarbon composites by cooling of chloride-based fluxes

Unique Ni compound nanocrystals were successfully grown on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by cooling a mixed chloride flux. Cup-stacked CNTs (CSCNTs) were used as the nanocarbon materials because of their structural features. The grown nanocrystals had a nanosheet structure, which was densely assembled and had a ribbon-like morphology. Therefore, the nanocrystal/CSCNT composites were expected to have a highly active surface area for the catalyst composites. The selected area electron diffraction pattern and the related radial intensity profiles indicated that the grown nanocrystals were Ni(OH)2. When the pristine CSCNTs were used as a starting material, the formation efficiency of the nanocrystal/CSCNT composites decreased because the pristine CSCNTs were not dispersed in the KCl-LiCl flux. Therefore, functionalization of the CSCNTs was carried out with VUV light irradiation. The dispersibility of the VUV light-treated CSCNTs increased in the KCl-LiCl flux in comparison with the pristine CSCNTs because oxygen-containing functional groups, such as -COOH and -CO, were introduced onto the surfaces of the CSCNTs.     

A Low‐Loss Medium‐Voltage Inverter Applying Series Connected General Purpose 1.2 kV Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors with Accurate Voltage Balancing Techniques

This paper presents a medium‐voltage inverter applying series connected general‐purpose 1.2 kV insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) as a switching device to achieve low switching losses compared to inverters applying high‐voltage IGBTs with over 3 kV rating. Gate signal synchronization, which is essential to keep the balance of collector‐emitter voltages across the IGBTs, is achieved by magnetically coupling all gate lines using a simple two‐windings transformer. In order to obtain better voltage balancing, influence of stray capacitance distribution associated with an insulating substrate in a two‐in‐one IGBT module on the voltage sharing is investigated, and an optimized layout of heat sinks for the IGBT modules is proposed. To validate some performances concerning the device losses and the voltage sharing, a 170 kVA inverter based on three 1.2 kV IGBTs connected in series is built and evaluated. The experimental results are shown. Copyright © 2007 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Characteristics of tar,NOx precursors and their absorption performance with different scrubbing solvents during the pyrolysis of sewage sludge

Recently thermal utilizations of sewage sludge, especially pyrolysis and gasification, are regarded as promising technologies due to efficient utilization of fuel gas. In this study, characteristics of tar and NOx precursors were investigated during the pyrolysis of sewage sludge. Moreover, absorption performance for tar and NOx precursors were also studied by using four kinds of scrubbing mediums: cooking oil, diesel oil, BDF and water. The results showed that nitrogenous light PAHs were the major components of nitrogenous tar produced from the pyrolysis of sewage sludge. As for gravimetric tar and major nitrogenous tar compounds removal, cooking oil was the most suitable absorbent. With respect to NOx precursors, it was concluded that HCN, sharing of about 39.5% of total nitrogen of the sewage sludge, was the main NOx precursor gas whereas NH₃ content could be neglected. Absorption capacity of hydrophobic scrubbing mediums against NOx precursor gases could be arranged as followed: diesel oil > cooking oil > BDF.     

1100 kV气体绝缘双断口断路器的开发与产品化

开发了一种用于气体绝缘组合电器(GIS)的1100kV50kASF6气体双断口断路器(GCB)。研究了这种断路器的各种特性,并成功完成了在绝缘、开断和机械性能等方面的型式试验。实现了GCB的小型化和轻量化。这种新开发的GCB已应用在中国特高压交流示范工程的GIS中,并已于2009年年初投入使用。     

Influences of saturation ratios on crystallization of anatase titanium dioxide by a titanium alkoxide hydrolysis

Influences of supersaturation in a tetraethyl orthotitanate (TEOT) solution on the degree of crystallinity of product particles in the case of a hydrolysis reaction of TEOT were indicated and the crystallization phenomena of anatase titanium dioxide (TiO₂) were discussed. Changes in saturation ratios with experimental durations were examined for the various amount of acetylacetone added into a TEOT solution. At the initial stages of TEOT hydrolysis operations, the degree of crystallinity of product particles was lower for the longer hydrolysis durations but the degrees became almost constant in the later stages of TEOT hydrolysis operations, although the supersaturation of titanium oxide in a TEOT solution was remained. Rapid increase in supersaturation of titanium oxide in a TEOT solution and consequent nucleation of amorphous titanium oxide would be restrained by addition of acetylacetone into a TEOT solution because the concentrations of titanium oxide in a saturated TEOT solution increased with the amount of acetylacetone.     

Fabrication of highly crystalline NbOx nanotube/cup-stacked CNT nanocomposites

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising catalyst supports for fuel cell applications. Metal oxide/CNT nanocomposites are also being studied for dye-sensitized solar-cell, photocatalyst, and sensor applications. The fabrication of nanocomposites consisting of highly crystalline NbOx nanotubes and cup-stacked carbon nanotubes (CSCNTs) is reported herein. The CSCNTs were selected for the carbon materials because of their distinctive structure. The CSCNTs were photochemically treated with vacuum ultraviolet light, which increased the amount of oxygen-containing functional groups therein. NbOx nanotubes with no defects were successfully prepared with the chemical treatment of highly crystalline, layered, flux-grown K4Nb6O17 crystals. First, K4Nb6O17 crystals were grown from a KCl flux at a holding temperature of 800 degrees C. Next, NbOx nanosheets were prepared from the layered K4Nb6O17 crystals via a two-step exfoliation process, which consists of proton exchange in an acid solution and intercalation of the tetrabutylammonium ions. The NbOx nanosheets were rolled up into nanotubes with diameters of about 20 nm and lengths of 100-500 nm on the surfaces of the CSCNTs; thus, unique and complex NbOx/CSCNT nanocomposites were successfully fabricated.