Comparison of YAG: Eu phosphors synthesized by supercritical water in batch and continuous reactors

Luminescent yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG, Y₃Al₅O₁₂) nanoparticles doped with Eu (10 at%) were synthesized in batch-type and continuous-type supercritical water (SCW) reactors. In the case of the continuous-type SCW method, the particles of YAG: Eu phosphors were much smaller and demonstrated a uniform spherical-like shape. Inversely, in the case of the batch-type SCW method, a needle-like or elliptical-like shape was formed because a finite amount of time was required to reach SCW conditions from ambient conditions. However, the emission intensity of YAG: Eu phosphors synthesized by using the batch-type SCW method was stronger. Therefore, it is concluded that the continuous-type SCW method is superior to the batch-type SCW method from the viewpoint of the particle size and shape, but the luminescence property of phosphors in the continuous-type SCW method needs to be improved. In addition, a calcination process slightly improved the luminescence intensities of YAG: Eu phosphors generated by using either the batch-type or continuous-type SCW methods.     

Oxidation Resistance Coating of LSM and LSCF on SOFC Metallic Interconnects by the Aerosol Deposition Process

Conductive La_0.8Sr_0.2MnO₃ (LSM) and La_0.6Sr_0.4Co_0.2Fe_0.8O₃ (LSCF) layers with a thickness of ∼10 μm were deposited on ferritic stainless steel (SS) by the aerosol deposition method, for use as an oxidation resistance-coating layer in the metallic interconnector of a solid oxide fuel cell. The coated layers were fairly dense without pores or cracks, and maintained good adhesion even after oxidation at 800°C for 100 h. The surface of the bare SS after annealing at 800°C for 100 h was covered with Cr₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄ oxide scales, and the electrical conductivity was sharply decreased. However, the LSM- and LSCF-coated SSs showed a surface microstructure with almost no oxidation and maintained good electrical conductivity after annealing at 800°C for 100 h. The area-specific resistance (ASR) of LSM- and LSCF-coated alloys after 100 h of oxidation at 800°C was 20.6 and 11.7 mΩ·cm², respectively.     

Comparative Analysis of Single‐Cascade Five‐Zone and Two‐Zone SMB Systems for the Separation of a Ternary Amino Acid Mixture

A ternary separation usually requires the use of two simulated moving bed (SMB) units in series. Since an increase in the number of SMB units leads to a significant increase in capital and operational costs, the use of a single SMB unit is preferred if its structure can be modified to treat a ternary separation. Such a modified single SMB unit has been typified by a five‐zone SMB or a two‐zone SMB so far. The separation performances‐of a five‐zone SMB and a two‐zone SMB are compared in this paper by using the ternary amino acid mixture as a model system. A five‐zone SMB is designed with the safety margin method while a two‐zone SMB is optimized using genetic algorithm. A five‐zone SMB based on the maximum allowable safety margin, although it may not guarantee the global optimum solution, results in much better separation performance than a two‐zone SMB at its global optimum state.     

Separation of hydroxybenzoic acid isomers using the molecular imprinting technique

Molecular imprinting polymers (MIPs) for salicylic acid (SA), 3‐hydroxybenzoic acid (3HBA), and 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid (4HBA) were synthesized using styrene and 4‐vinylpyridine (4‐VPy) as functional monomer and divinylbenzene (DVB) as crosslinker. The adsorption characteristics of hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) isomers on each MIP were investigated. The materials used for the polymerization of each 3HBA and 4HBA‐MIPs were adsorbed relatively well. This verifies that the MIPs that can adsorb template selectively were synthesized. However, SA‐MIP had no molecular imprinting effect. SA has intramolecular hydrogen bond and it is difficult to adsorb on recognition site of SA‐MIP, because its structure differs from that of recognition site of SA‐MIP. It indicates that SA‐MIP had no recognition effect. 1,2,3,4‐Tetrahydro‐1‐naphthol (THN)‐MIP was synthesized, which is similar to SA with intramolecular hydrogen bond. SA was separated selectively using THN‐MIP. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Development of environmentally responsive hydrogels with metal affinity behavior

This work describes initial efforts to incorporate affinity ligands within an environmentally responsive hydrogel. Metal affinity ligands were chosen as model affinity groups and thermally responsive N‐isopropyl acrylamide/acrylamide copolymers were used as the base hydrogels. The ? NH₂ group of the acrylamide serves as a reactive group for functionalization with metal affinity ligands. The gels were synthesized by free radical polymerization and Cu²⁺ was bound to the gel via 1,4‐butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDE) as a linker and iminodiacetic acid (IDA) as a chelating ligand. The base acrylamide gels were also functionalized with metal affinity ligands to allow for comparison with thermally responsive affinity gels. The results show the effectiveness of this technique for both these types of gels, and an improved method to immobilize metal affinity groups on to thermally sensitive N‐isopropyl acrylamide gels was also developed. It was seen that the yields for the reaction with BDE decreased with increased reaction time in both kinds of gels, whereas reaction with IDA showed a decrease in yields with increase in temperature for N‐isoporpyl acrylamide gels and increase in yields for acrylamide gels. Further techniques were developed to overcome diffusional resistances and stresses in the thermally responsive N‐isopropyl acrylamide gels so as to improve the distribution of Cu²⁺ ions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007     

Removal of formaldehyde at low concentration using various activated carbon fibers

Adsorption of low concentration formaldehyde on pitch‐based, rayon‐based, and PAN‐based activated carbon fibers (ACFs) and an unactivated PAN‐based carbon fiber (PAN‐CF) was investigated by a dynamic method. The pore structure and surface chemistry of these samples were characterized by liquid nitrogen adsorption, elemental analysis, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Results revealed that the pore structure, especially surface chemical composition, greatly influence the formaldehyde adsorption. PAN‐based ACFs showed the highest formaldehyde adsorption capacity because there are more abundant nitrogen‐containing groups, especially pyrrolic, pyridonic, pyridinic, and quaternary on the surface. The breakthrough time and formaldehyde adsorption capacity of one kind of PAN‐ACF were 361 min and 0.478 mmol/g, respectively. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007     

Physico‐Mechanical Properties and the TVOC Emission Factor of Gypsum Particleboards Manufactured with Pinus Massoniana and Eucalyptus Sp.

The effect of wood species on the TVOC emission factor and the physico‐mechanical properties of GPBs is investigated. Of the two wood species, the water absorption was higher for the GPBs made using Eucalyptus sp. than for those using Pinus massoniana. The Eucalyptus sp. GPBs pressed at room temperature, 40 and 60 °C all demonstrated higher moisture absorption than commercial GPBs. The TVOC emission factor decreased with increasing press temperature, especially for Eucalyptus sp. but remained under ‘excellent’ grade as defined by the KACA. From these results, GPB with higher content of wood particles should be considered for the replacement of wood‐based panels such as particleboard and medium density fiberboard (MDF).

     

Piezoelectric Multilayer Ceramic/Polymer Composite Transducer with 2–2 Connectivity

A multilayer piezoelectric ceramic/polymer composite with 2–2 connectivity was fabricated by thermoplastic green machining after co-extrusion. The multilayer ceramic body was composed of piezoelectrically active lead zirconate titanate (PZN)–lead zinc niobate (PZN)-lead zirconate titanate (PZT) layers and electrically conducting PZN–PZT/Ag layers. After co-extruding the thermoplastic body, which consisted of five piezoelectric layers interspersed with four conducting layers, it was computer numeric-controlled machined to create periodic channels within it. Following binder burnout and sintering, an 18 vol% array of 190 μm thin PZT slabs with a channel size of 880 μm was fabricated. The channels were filled with epoxy in order to fabricate a PZN–PZT/epoxy composite with 2–2 connectivity. The piezoelectric coefficient (effective d ₃₃) and hydrostatic figure of merit ( d _h× g _h) of the PZN–PZT/epoxy composite were 1200 pC/N and 20 130 × 10⁻¹⁵ m²/N, respectively. These excellent piezoelectric characteristics as well as the relatively simple fabrication procedure will contribute in widening the application range of the piezoelectric transducers.     

Synthesis and structural properties of lithium titanium oxide powder

Recently, lithium titanium oxide material has gained renewed interest in electrodes for lithium ion rechargeable batteries. We investigated the influence of excess Li on the structural characteristics of lithium titanium oxide synthesized by the conventional powder calcination method, considering the potential for mass production. The lithium excess ratio is controlled by using different weight of Li₂CO₃ powder during calcination. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement for the synthesized powder showed that the lithium titanium oxide material with excess lithium content had a spinel crystal structure as well as a different crystal one. In addition, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) measurement revealed that the lithium titanium oxide powders with a lithium excess ratio of 5–20% exhibited a two phase formation. Inductively coupled plasma — atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) measurements were used to analyze composition of the lithium titanium oxide powder. These results suggested that the conventional calcination method, considering the potential for mass production, formed two phases according to the Li excess amount in initial raw materials.