Higher order structures and toughening mechanisms for simultaneously polymerized polymethacrylate/polyurethane

Amorphous polymer/crystalline polymer blends can be prepared via the simultaneous polymerization of polymethacrylate/polyurethane combinations. The relationship between higher order structures and fracture mechanisms in these blends must be uncovered to elucidate the source of the increased fracture toughness of such materials. The present work involves the production of blended polymethacrylate/polyurethane and assess the internal structures of these specimens using optical and electron microscopy. These observations reveal the presence of both spherulites and elastomeric phases. The spherulites consisting of the polyurethane and are several micrometers in diameter whereas the phase-separated polyurethane elastomeric domains are approximately 100 nm in size. Multiple cracks, crack bridging and plastic deformation around the precrack tips of loaded specimens are evidently responsible for the increased toughness of these blends. The former two phenomena are attributed to the presence of spherulites while the plastic deformation of the methacrylate matrix is ascribed to cavitation of the polyurethane elastomeric phases in response to loading.     

Sugar-Induced Chiral Orientation of Boronic-Acid-Appended Amphiphile Clusters Formed in the Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) Membrane

A boronic-acid-appended amphiphile bearing an azobenzene chromophore in the chain center ( 3 ) was synthesized. Although 3 could not form the membrane-like, ordered aggregate by itself, it formed a phase-separated aggregate in a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) matrix membrane. When saccharides were added, the boronic acid group reversibly formed the saccharide complexes, and 3 in the DPPC matrix membrane became CD-active with the appearance of exciton-coupling bands. Comparison of the saccharide absolute configuration with the CD intensity established that the saccharide possessing the OH group (as 3-OH, 4-OH, and 5-CH₂OH) in the same side as the cis-1,2-diol gives the strong CD band. Judging from the structure of 3 –saccharide complexes, these “same-side” OH groups can enjoy intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions, which eventually induce the chiral orientation of azobenzene chromophores. This is a novel membrane system useful to read out the information stored in the saccharide structure and to create novel membrane structures by added saccharides.     

EELFS as a new tool of local structural characterization of solid surfaces

A new apparatus to obtain information on local structures and chemical states of solid surfaces has been constructed, with which we measure electron energy-loss fine structures (EELFS), excited by electrons of a few keV incident at a grazing angle. We describe results about O/Ni(100) and O/W(100) systems, where we extensively take advantage of anisotropy in regard to momentum transfer of the probe electron and high surface sensitivity of this technique.     

Elastic properties measurement of glass layers fabricated onsilicon wafers for microelectronics and micromachines

Elastic properties such as the Young's modulus, the Poisson's ratio and the density of Si-B-O glass layers fabricated on (100) silicon substrates by the flame hydrolysis deposition method were measured. Thicknesses of the layers were about 20 μm. It was found that the Young's modulus decreased with the boron dopant concentration. The Poisson's ratio was about 0.26 regardless of the boron dopant concentration. The measured elastic properties will be used in the design of micromachines fabricated with silicon substrates and glass layers     

Nonstoichiometry and Its Effect on the Magnetic Properties of a Manganese-Zinc Ferrite

The effect of oxygen nonstoichometry on physical and magnetic properties of a Mn-Zn ferrite has been studied by using annealed samples under various oxygen pressures and temperaure. The dependence of oxygen nonstoichiometry7 on disaccommodation and Fe²⁺ content changed at the stoichiometric composition, and the lattice parameter became maximum at the stoichiometric composition. These results suggest that Mn-Zn ferrites have two different defect structures: cation vacancies in cation-deficient regons and oxygen vacancies in anion-deficient regions. Initial permeability was maximum and power loss was minimum at the stoichiometric composition, suggesting he importance of the number of point defects for the magnetic properties.