Gas Effusion Spectra of Fullerenes

Gas effusion spectra of fullerenes are studied. Three peaks of toluene are found in gas effusion spectra dp/dT-T. Two peaks of oxygen are found in gas effusion spectra dN/dt-T of samples kept in the air after annealing to avoid the toluene. These phenomena confirmed to be reversible are discussed by treating fullerenes as intercalated materials.     

Calciothermic reduction of titanium oxide in molten CaCl<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Titanium oxides were reduced to metallic titanium using the liquid calcium floating on the molten CaCl₂. A part of Ca dissolved into CaCl₂ and reacted with TiO₂ settled below CaCl₂. The by-product CaO also dissolved by about 20 mol pct into CaCl₂, which was effective in reducing the oxygen concentration in the obtained Ti particles. The compositional region in the Ca-CaCl₂-CaO system was examined for the less oxygen contamination in Ti and the better handling in leaching. A large amount of the residual calcium oxidized the titanium powder in leaching. The metallic Ti powder less than 1000 mass ppm oxygen could be obtained only for 3.6 ks using 5 to 7 mol pct Ca-CaCl₂ at 1173 K. The powder was slightly sintered like sponge, and contained approximately 1500 ppm Ca. The anatase phae, the intermediate product in the refining process of TiO₂, could be also supplied as raw material as well as rutile.     

Association of MSX1 and TGFB3 with nonsyndromic clefting in humans

Nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) and nonsyndromic cleft palate only (CPO) are common congenital anomalies with significant medical, psychological, social, and economic ramifications. Both CL/P and CPO are examples of complex genetic traits. There exists sufficient evidence to hypothesize that disease loci for CL/P and CPO can be identified by a candidate-gene linkage-disequilibrium (LD) strategy. Candidate genes for clefting, including TGFA, BCL3, DLX2, MSX1, and TGFB3, were screened for LD with either CL/P or CPO in a predominantly Caucasian population, with both case-control- and nuclear-family-based approaches. Previously reported LD for TGFA with both CL/P and CPO could not be confirmed, except in CL/P patients with a positive family history. Also, in contrast to previous studies, no LD was found between BCL3 and either CL/P or CPO. Significant LD was found between CL/P and both MSX1 and TGFB3 and between CPO and MSX1, suggesting that these genes are involved in the pathogenesis of clefting. In addition, a mutation search in the genes DLX2, MSX1, and TGFB3 was performed in 69 CPO patients and in a subset of the CL/P patients. No common mutations were found in the coding regions of these genes; however, several rare variants of MSX1 and TGFB3 were found that may alter the latters' normal function. These results form the basis for future research, including (a) mutation searches in the MSX1 and TGFB3 genes in Caucasian CL/P patients and (b) extension of the search for MSX1 mutations in CPO patients to the noncoding regions.     

Theory of magnetically polarizable superconductors. II

A microscopic theory of superconductors containing a magnetically polarizable medium is given. By taking into account the Zeeman effect, we derive the crossover behavior from a second- to a first-order phase transition, the magnetization curve in the high-field region, and the magnetization jump at the first-order phase transition temperature. The theory gives a qualitative account of the magnetic behavior, including the remarkable convex curvature of the magnetization curves, observed in the ferromagnetic superconductor ErRh₄B₄ with applied external field parallel to the magnetic easy axis.     

Eutectic compound (KNO3/NaNO3 : PCM) quasi‐encapsulated into SiC‐honeycomb for suppressing natural convection of melted PCM

The phase change eutectic compound, KNO₃/NaNO₃ (50/50 mol%) (phase change material (PCM)), which is used as the thermal energy storage material in the solar thermal power plant, was quasi‐encapsulated into the SiC‐honeycomb (SCH) for suppressing the natural convection occurring at the liquid state of PCM. The performance of the SCH as the material suppressing natural convection of PCM was investigated experimentally. PCM with three kinds of mixing ratios of SCH of 10%, 20%, and 30%, was prepared and packed in their respective stainless can with oil‐flowing pipe in the center, which is called thermal energy storage unit (TESU). Three units were linked together and stacked vertically by the connector at the inlet/outlet oil pipe. The time variation of temperature at the fixed positions inside the TESU in charging/discharging process and temperature gradient in the radial direction inside TESU when PCM was liquid state were investigated. It is concluded that the natural convection is suppressed by mixing the SCH with PCM up to around 30% in weight, because the PCM is quasi‐encapsulated into cell holes and porous structures of SCHs. And thus, the heat transfer of the PCM + 30%SCH composite is controlled mainly by its thermal conduction, which is also supported through comparison of simulation result with experimental one. And so, we conclude that SCH has a function as the quasi‐encapsulating material for suppressing the natural convection of PCM. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development of low cost production technologies for polycrystalline silicon solar cells

To develop a technology of forming grooves for low cost cell production, a multi-blade wheel grinding method was investigated. The process time of groove formation on the surface of 10 × 10 cm² polycrystalline silicon substrate was reduced to 30 s by a newly developed high-speed groove formation machine. Simultaneous formation of junction and anti-reflection coating by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) technique was also investigated. For electrodes formation process, single firing method for both side electrodes made possible to simplify the firing process and to speed up from a conventional speed of 400 mm/min to 5000 mm/min.     

Quantitative analysis of energy-efficiency strategy on CO2 emissions in the residential sector in Japan – Case study of Iwate prefecture

This study examines the economics of energy-efficiency strategies for reducing CO₂ emissions in the residential sector in Japan from the perspective of regional characteristics. For this study, the residential sector in Iwate prefecture was selected as representative of rural areas in Japan. In order to promote purchases of energy-efficient consumer appliances, the prefectural government is presumed to reimburse purchasers a part of the cost difference between energy efficient and conventional appliances. This paper begins with a discussion of the prefecture’s financial support for purchasers of energy efficient appliances and assumes that the payments come from prefectural government funds. This paper then looks at the effect of a carbon-tax refund on the reduction of CO₂ emissions. The results show that, if half of the households use energy-efficient appliances, then CO₂ emissions in the residential sector in the year 2020 will decreases from the BAU scenario, 0.726 Mt-C to 0.674 Mt-C. However, the Iwate prefectural government expends $105 million annually, which is 1.5% of the total tax revenue in the year 2003. The carbon-tax refund effectively encourages further reductions in CO₂ emissions. Under the $20/tC carbon tax, proposed by the Ministry of the Environment, the carbon-tax refund leads to a reduction in residential CO₂ emissions from 0.726 Mt-C to 0.712 Mt-C.     

Suppression of photo-induced dilation in cyanide treated hydrogenated amorphous silicon films

Effects of cyanide (CN) treatment with hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films have been investigated. The decrease of ΔV/V was observed in cyanide treated a-Si:H films and the successive thermal annealing at 200°C after CN treatment induced the further reduction of the ΔV/V. XPS spectra show the indirect evidence that the cyanide species is present within 10 nm from the hydrogenated amorphous silicon surface. The results of CN treatment with a-Si:H solar cells are demonstrated.     

Reduction and unusual recovery in the reversible hydrogen storage capacity of V1−xTix during hydrogen cycling

The effect of the vanadium content on the cyclic stability of V–Ti binary alloys was investigated. V_1−xTi_x, x = 0.2 and 0.5 samples were hydrogenated and dehydrogenated at 410 K and 553 K respectively, for more than 100 times. During hydrogen cycling, reduction in the reversible hydrogen storage capacity was clearly observed from both samples. No prominent V-effect was found. In fact, the reduction rates of two samples were similar; both samples showed a ∼25% reduction in the reversible hydrogen storage capacity after 100 cycles. In addition, the shape of the pressure–composition-isotherm (PCT) curves was significantly altered over the testing cycle period; the absorption and desorption plateaus got markedly inclined and the hysteresis became evidently smaller. We found that even after the hydrogen storage capacity of V_1−xTi_x was significantly reduced, at low enough temperature V_1−xTi_x was able to absorb hydrogen as much as it did at the first cycle. Furthermore, the reversible hydrogen storage capacity of V_0.8Ti_0.2 at 410 K was recovered to a certain degree after hydrogenating the sample at low temperatures.     

Radiation-induced graft copolymerization of mixtures of styrene and n-butyl acrylate onto cellulose and cellulose triacetate

Mixtures of styrene and n-butyl acrylate of various compositions were grafted onto cellulose and cellulose triacetate fibers preirradiated with γ-rays at 0°C in air. Monomer reactivity ratios of the grafted copolymers were found to be different from those of the nongrafted copolymers or those of AIBN-initiated copolymers. The active species initiating the graft copolymerization were trapped radicals for cellulose and peroxides for cellulose triacetate. Kinetic investigations of the graft copolymerization of styrene onto preirradiated cellulose triacetate fibers were also carried out, and it was found that the kinetic scheme for radical polymerization is also applicable to graft copolymerization in a heterogeneous system.