A numerical model for current transients during micro-indentation of passive iron surface

During in situ micro-indentation of passive iron in pH 8.4 borate solution, a couple of anodic current peaks emerged; the first peak during loading and the second peak during unloading. The current transients, associated with rupture and repair of the passive film, were influenced by the indentation conditions. For instance, the current peak height, the current peak area and the time required for complete repassivation are strongly dependent on indentation rate. A numerical model was proposed to correlate the current transient during loading with mechanical deformation of the passive surface. The comparison between the current transient measured experimentally and that estimated from the load transient suggested that the ruptured area of passive film was about 10% of the surface area deformed by the contact with the indenter.     

Discussion on optimisation below dose limit for public using background-cancer-risk-based approach

To improve a radiological protection system, the lower bound of optimisation was discussed using a newly proposed background-cancer-risk-based approach. This approach provides a new finding that the standard deviation of the background cancer risk in Japan is 7.4 × 10(-5) y(-1). If this risk level corresponding to 1σ can be regarded as a non-concern level, it would be possible that the lower bound of optimisation of radiological protection could be set at 1 mSv y(-1), since the assumed risk of 1 mSv y(-1) is equivalent to ~5 × 10(-5) y(-1) obtained using the overall fatal risk coefficient of 5 % Sv(-1), which is lower than the non-concern level.     

Electrochemical analysis of hydrogen membrane fuel cells

An electrochemical analysis was conducted with respect to a hydrogen membrane fuel cell with SrZr_0.8In_0.2O_3−δ electrolyte, which is a new type of fuel cell featuring an ultra-thin proton conductor supported on a dense metal anode. Most of the voltage loss derives from the cathode and the electrolyte, and a small amount of anode polarization was observed only in regions with high current density. The cathode polarization was approximately an order of magnitude lower than that of SOFCs. Furthermore, the conductivity of the film electrolyte was almost identical to that of the sinter at 600 °C; however, it was several times as large at 400 °C. A TEM micrograph revealed that the film electrolyte consists mainly of long columnar crystals, and this crystal structure can be related to the conductivity enhancement below 600 °C.     

Modeling of eddy characteristic time in LES for calculating turbulent diffusion flame

We have constructed an eddy characteristic time derived from large-scale motion to calculate the combustion reaction rate using a new eddy dissipation concept (EDC) model, and estimated combustion characteristics in the combustor. The calculated temperature and CH₄ mole fraction distribution are in fairly good agreement with the experimental data. However, the calculated CO mole fraction distribution does not agree well with the measured result of CO mole fraction because of using a simple CO reaction mechanism. This study shows that the combustion simulation using LES with EDC model is effective for calculating the characteristics of turbulent diffusion flame.     

Thin film characteristics of fluorine-substituted monolayers prepared by chemical adsorption from solution

Monolayers containing a fluorine-substituted carbon chain were prepared by the chemical adsorption (CA) technique. Characteristics of the monolayers were evaluated by spectroscopy, copper decoration technique, current-voltage characteristics (current density and resistivity), measurement of the contact angle, and friction tests. By the copper decoration technique, the CA monolayer was more pinhole free and uniform than a Langmuir-Blodgett film. The characteristics (such as the leakage current density, resistivity, critical surface tension and coefficient of kinetic friction) of the fluorine-substituted monolayers depended markedly on the number of substituted fluorine atoms.     

Deflection of a floating sea ice sheet induced by a moving load

A large number of time-deflection curves was obtained from a field experiment carried out on the sea ice sheet at Lake Saroma, Hokkaido, Japan, using a Skidoo snowmobile as a moving load with the test speed changed from 0 to 14.2 m/s. The thickness of the ice sheet was 0.17–0.18 m, the ice temperature was ?2.5 to ?4°C at the surface, and the water depth was 6.8 m beneath the ice sheet. The experimental results indicated the existence of a critical speed u_c and its value was estimated to be 5.8 m/s. At speed above it two ice waves were generated, one ahead of and the other behind the vehicle. A variation of wavelength with vehicle speed was expressed by a modified dispersion relation for the flexural ice wave in a floating ice sheet. The ice deflection pattern was classified into five stages. At u_c the depression around the vehicle was maximal in depth and minimal in width. The center of the depression began to lag behind the vehicle even at fairly low speeds below u_c.     

Synthesis and properties of poly(aryl ether ketone) copolymers containing 1,5-naphthalene moieties

Poly(aryl ether ketone) copolymers possessing various compositions of 1,5-naphthalene and 1,4-phenylene moieties were prepared by the reaction of 4,4′-difluorobenzophenone with hydroquinone (HQ) and 1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) in the presence of sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate in diphenyl sulfone. The synthesized copolymers were characterized by FT-IR spectra, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. Thermal analyses of the copolymers showed that the glass transition temperature increased, while the melting temperature and 2.5% weight loss temperature decreased with increasing content of 1,5-naphthalene moieties. For the copolymers synthesized with the molar fraction of DHN in the dihydroxy monomers (DHN, HQ) being over 0.4, no cold crystallization temperature and melting temperature were detected, indicating that these copolymers are almost amorphous. The crystal structure of the copolymers with the molar fraction of DHN being not higher than 0.2 is rhombic, equal to poly(ether ether ketone).     

A QoS control scheme using dynamic window size control for wide area ubiquitous wireless network

This paper describes a quality‐of‐service (QoS) control scheme for a wide‐area ubiquitous wireless network which is designed to accommodate many wireless terminals (WTs), such as sensors and actuators, in a large cell area. The purpose of this paper is to establish a QoS control scheme in a medium access control (MAC) layer that can hold the transmission delay of high‐priority class traffic within a predefined value regardless of how much low‐priority class traffic there is. Several QoS control schemes for wireless communication use have been proposed. However, in the wide‐area ubiquitous wireless network, an access point (AP) accommodates many WTs and the AP traffic volume often drastically changes. Therefore, conventional schemes sometimes cannot control the QoS of high‐priority traffic. To solve this problem, we propose a QoS control scheme that calculates a suitable initial back‐off window size of random access for each QoS class by using equations derived from a Markov chain behavior model. The proposed scheme adjusts the window size so as to prevent increased transmission delay of high‐priority traffic. The scheme's performance is clarified by computer simulation. © 2014 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.