Trace gas measurement with an integrated porous tube collector/long-path absorbance detector

Porous membrane tubes filled with an absorbing solution that change colors upon selective reactions with specific gases provide high sensitivity inexpensive gas sensors. These can be routinely used for ambient monitoring in a fully automated manner. We consider both stopped and continuous flow operations and show the superiority of the stopped flow mode theoretically and experimentally. Light throughput through various membrane tubes is presented, and superior performance of such tubes over Teflon AF is shown. Sensors for NO2 and for O3 were based on Griess-Saltzman and indigotrisulfonate chemistries, respectively. A computer-controlled two-LED absorbance measurement system (one wavelength monitors the signal, the other references the system) that also governs automated reagent refilling was implemented. Sub-parts-per-billion-volume detection limits are attainable within a few minutes for both gases. Comparative data with a commercial UV-photometry-based ozone monitor showed excellent agreement with the response pattern of the present instrument. Low cost, ready applicability to the measurement of different gases by merely changing the light source and chemistry, and high sensitivity makes this instrument attractive for both pedagogic and practical purposes.     

Synthesis and properties of carbons dispersed with α-iron particles from divinylbenzene-vinylferrocene

α-Iron-dispersed carbon was synthesized, through pressure pyrolysis of divinylbenzene-vinylferrocene above 750°C, and by reduction of magnetite-dispersed carbon. Divinylbenzenevinylferrocene copolymer was pyrolysed at 125 MPa above 750°C to yield carbons dispersed with α-iron accompanied by cementite. Magnetite in the carbon matrix was reduced to α-iron after heat treatments at 500°C in a flow of hydrogen. Carbons synthesized by the pressure pyrolysis of divinylbenzene-vinylferrocene at 800°C and 125 MPa contained iron-compound particles up to 200 nm, whereas the median diameter of α-iron particles in the carbon matrix after reduction treatments was 20 nm. α-Iron-dispersed carbon had a Curie temperature of 770°C. The saturation magnetization of iron-dispersed carbon increased with increasing the pyrolysis temperature of divinylbenzene-vinylferrocene copolymer, and reached a constant value of 183 e.m.u.g⁻¹ at 800°C. The saturation magnetization of α-iron-dispersed carbon after the reduction treatment revealed practically the theoretical value of α-iron. Carbons finely dispersed with only α-iron particles were synthesized successfully by reduction of magnetitedispersed carbons.     

Difference of histology and elemental composition of the cervical enamels among human permanent teeth

The purpose of this study is to clarify the difference of histology and elemental composition of the cervical enamels among the human permanent teeth. The reground surfaces at the cervical enamels of them were observed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The contents of seven elements were analyzed quantitatively with electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA). The widths of the rod sections at the cervical enamels were larger than those at the cuspal enamels. The rod sections at the mesial cervical enamels in the incisors were more obscure and more decayed by acid solution than those in the premolars and molars. The calcium and phosphorus contents of the cervical enamels were significantly lower than those of the cuspal enamels. The carbon content of the cervical enamels was significantly higher than that of the cuspal enamels. The calcium and phosphorus contents of the cervical enamels were the significantly highest in the premolars. The carbon and sodium contents of the cervical enamels were significantly highest in the premolars. It is thought that the calcification level is lower, while the content of organic matter is higher at the cervical enamels than those at the cuspal enamels. It is considered that the sodium causes high calcification.     

The effect of an electric field on boiling heat transfer ofrefrigerant-11-boiling on a single tube

The effect of an electric field on boiling refrigerant R-11 was investigated experimentally. The test section consisted of a flat plate and a single tube with several rows of electrode wire. The influence of refrigerant oil, the surface roughness of the test tube, and polarity of an applied voltage on the heat transfer performance were studied. The following results were obtained: as the applied voltage increased, the number of boiling bubbles decreased but the heat transfer coefficient increased; no deterioration of heat by the oil contamination occurred; and the polarity of the applied voltage affected the boiling heat transfer     

NMOSFET characteristics on a double hetero-epitaxial Si/γ-Al2O3/Si structure fabricated by a new MBE growth method

A new MBE growth method for the fabrication of a high-quality double hetero-epitaxial Si/γ-Al₂O₃/Si structure was recently developed. In the present work, characteristics of NMOSFETs fabricated on the Si/γ-Al₂O₃/Si structure were investigated, and compared with those on a Si/MgAl₂O₄/Si structure. A γ-Al₂O₃ layer was created from a MgAl₂O₄ layer by reaction with Si beams as follows: MgAl₂O₄ + Si → γ-Al₂O₃ + SiO ↑ + Mg ↑. The MBE growth of Si on the effectively restructured γ-Al₂O₃ layer was then performed at a substrate temperature of 700° C, 150° C lower than for the MBE growth of Si on a MgAl₂O₄/Si substrate. The electron field effect mobility and leakage current between source and drain for the NMOSFETs fabricated on Si/γ-Al₂O₃/Si structures were 660 cm²/V · s and 2.8 pA/μm respectively, and exhibited a higher level of performance than those on a Si/MgAl₂O₄/Si structure. In the Si/MgAl₂O₄/Si, SIMS measurements confirmed that autodoped Al and Mg atoms near the interface between the Si epi-layer and MgAl₂O₄/Si substrate diffused anomalously and accumulated at the surface during device fabrication processes. These autodoped Al and Mg atoms acted as ionized impurities during test operation. Suppression of autodoping from insulator layers during the MBE growth of Si was thus deemed essential to the improvement of NMOSFET characteristics. In the Si/γ-Al₂O₃/Si structure, autodoped atoms were scarcely detectable. It was therefore concluded that the Si/γ-Al₂O₃/Si structure under study was very promising for SOI device applications.     

Chemical dehydrofluorination and electrical conductivity of poly(vinylidene fluoride) films

The dehydrofluorination of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) powder and films was studied using several kinds of base solution. Especially the reactivity of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-7-undecene (DBU) in ethanol, KOH in 2-propanol and aqueous NaOH solution with tetrabutylammonium bromide was investigated by the change in infrared (IR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-VI) absorptions of PVDF films. The elimination reactions by DBU or KOH were considered to be accompanied by substitution reaction. The electrical conductivity of dehydrofluorinated PVDF films increased markedly by doping with iodine, and the activation energies of conduction were found to be between 0.4 and 0.5 eV. When a drawn PVDF film was dehydrofluorinated and doped with iodine, anisotropy in conductivity was observed.     

Broadband four-wave mixing generation in short optical fibres

Several advantages of using a short length of fibre to generate broadband four-wave mixing are proposed and verified using wavelength conversion experiments for different lengths of a previously developed high-nonlinearity fibre with a nonlinear coefficient of 13.8 W^-1 km^-1. Consequently, 91.3 nm broadband simultaneous wavelength conversion is demonstrated using a 100 m long section of the developed fibre     

Functional analysis of genes encoding putative oxidoreductases in Aspergillus oryzae, which are similar to fungal fructosyl-amino acid oxidase

We found 11 genes (FAO1-11) encoding putative oxidoreductases in the Aspergillus oryzae genome, which are similar to fungal fructosyl-amino acid oxidases. The cDNAs corresponding to the genes were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. rFao2 had fructosyl-amino acid oxidase activity, whereas rFao1 did not show any enzyme activity, even though the deduced amino acid sequence of Fao1 is identical to that of one of the fructosyl-amino acid oxidase isozymes from Aspergillus oryzae. rFao7 and rFao8 showed oxidase activity toward sarcosine, L-pipecolate, and L-proline. rFao10 was active toward only sarcosine, of the substrates tested. The functions of the other proteins were also predicted from a phylogenetic analysis.