Deposition of DLC film with adhesive W-DLC layer on stainless steel and its tribological properties

Tribological properties of a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating with an adhesive tungsten-containing DLC (W-DLC) layer were investigated. The coatings were deposited onto AISI316L steel substrates and Si wafers using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and tungsten co-sputtering of the metal target. Methane and argon gases were used as the precursor of the coatings. In this study, three types of coatings were evaluated: DLC/W-DLC on AISI316L (DLC-1), DLC/W-DLC on Si wafer (DLC-2), and DLC on Si wafer (DLC-3). The structural characterizations were performed by transmission electron microscopy and tapping mode atomic force microscopy. At the boundary between the W-DLC layer and the AISI316L substrate, microscopic decohesion or delamination was not observed. The surface roughness of the DLC-1 coating was greater than that of the DLC-2 coating. This feature was derived from the surface roughness of the initial surface of the AISI316L substrate. Friction tests were performed using a rotation-type ball-on-flat configuration tribometer. The observed friction of the DLC-1 coating was unstable compared with the DLC-2 or DLC-3 coatings. This was due to wear debris which had risen to the friction surface resulting in unstable friction on the DLC-1 coating. During the friction studies, the top DLC layer was removed from the adhesive W-DLC layer because the adhesive strength at this part was not enough. In order to achieve the low and stable friction of the DLC coating with the W-DLC layer on AISI316L, it is necessary to improve the smoothness of the surface and the adhesion between the DLC coating and the W-DLC layer.     

Polymerization of styrene with a simple rare earth metal initiator

The catalytic activity in the polymerization of styrene has been examined using commercially available simple rare earth metal compounds such as Sm(OiPr)₃, Sm(acac)₃, Sm(OCOMe)₃, SmI₂(THF)₂ or SmCl₃ coupled with Et₃Al or methylaluminoxane (MAO). Among these compounds, the Sm(OiPr)₃/AlEt₃ system shows the highest catalytic activity, especially in the presence of a minor amount of toluene at 60 °C. The random copolymerization of styrene with methyl methacrylate suggests that the present polymerization proceeds with a radical polymerization mechanism. (C₅Me₅)SmCl₃Na(THF) and (C₅Me₅)SmCl₃Li(THF) systems exhibit relatively low catalytic activity, even in the presence of AlEt₃. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of PbTiO 3 Seed Layer on the Characteristics of RF-Sputtered Pb(Zr 0.5 ,Ti 0.5 )O 3 Thin Films

The effects of seed layers on the characteristics of rf-sputtered lead zirconium titanate thin films were investigated. Prior to sputtering, PbTiO 3 seed layers (100 nm) were deposited onto the Pt/Ti/Si and Pt/Si substrates by sol-gel (spin coating) processing method. Structure-property relation was studied as functions of substrate temperature and sputtering conditions. Special efforts were given in optimizing the deposition parameters to prepare the films in the perovskite phase without post deposition annealing. Dielectric constant and loss tangent of the films were in the range 800-950 and 0.04 -0.06, respectively. Remanent polarization and coercive field were 23.1 w C/cm 2 and 75kV/cm, respectively, for the films without PbTiO 3 seed layer, where as the corresponding quantities for in situ -deposited perovskite Pb(Zr, Ti)O 3 films on PbTiO 3 seed layer were 28 w C/cm 2 and 65 kV/cm, respectively.     

In vitro formation and thermal transition of novel hybrid fibrils from type I fish scale collagen and type I porcine collagen

Novel type I collagen hybrid fibrils were fabricated by neutralizing a mixture of type I fish scale collagen solution and type I porcine collagen solution with a phosphate buffer saline at 28 °C. Their structure was discussed in terms of the volume ratio of fish/porcine collagen solution. Scanning electron and atomic force micrographs showed that the diameter of collagen fibrils derived from the collagen mixture was larger than those derived from each collagen, and all resultant fibrils exhibited a typical D-periodic unit of ∼67 nm, irrespective of volume ratio of both collagens. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed only one endothermic peak for the fibrils derived from collagen mixture or from each collagen solution, indicating that the resultant collagen fibrils were hybrids of type I fish scale collagen and type I porcine collagen.     

Preliminary spectrum shifter design for intermediate energy nuclear data benchmark experiments with DT neutrons

Integral benchmark experiments with DT neutrons are not always sufficient for nuclear data benchmarking in the MeV region, below 10 MeV. A neutron spectrum shifter, which will be placed between a sample and a DT neutron source, is effective to moderate DT neutrons incident to the sample. In order to estimate effects of the spectrum shifter, the ratio of the contribution of 14 MeV neutrons in the leakage neutron and gamma-ray spectra was calculated with MCNP-4C for an experimental configuration at FNS of JAEA, Japan. The calculations were carried out for a Li₂TiO₃ sample with a Be, D₂O, or ⁷LiD spectrum shifter. It was found out that the Be shifter was superior to others and the Be shifter was effective to decrease the contribution of 14 MeV neutrons especially for secondary gamma-ray spectrum measurements.     

Decay of material properties of degraded MEA caused by repeated cold starts under subzero conditions in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

This study investigated the characteristics of cell performance degradation, decline of component performance, and changes in the properties of membrane electrode assembly materials caused by repeated cold starts under a subzero condition of ?30 °C. It was made clear that functional decay appeared mainly at the cathode due to increased proton conductive impedance and reduction of reactivity of the electrode catalyst. Among the cathode components, an increase in proton conductive impedance in the cathode electrolyte was dominant. Furthermore, the application of ion chromatography and a newly developed proton‐induced gamma‐ray emission method to measure fluorine in the off‐gas drain revealed that decomposition of the electrolyte was dominant in the cathode catalyst layer. A decrease in fluorine in the cathode electrolyte measured by fluorine‐19 nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed this decomposition. A hypothesis is also presented concerning the cause of the performance degradation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res; Published online in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/htj ). DOI 10.1002/htj.20394     

Synthesis of Pd-Sn nanoparticles by ultrasonic irradiation and their electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction

Nanoparticles of Pd-Sn were prepared under various conditions by applying ultrasonic irradiation, and their electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction was evaluated in 0.5 M KOH. The average size of Pd-Sn nanoparticles thus prepared was about 3-5 nm. The Pd in Pd-Sn nanoparticles was found to be mostly in the metallic state. The electrocatalytic activity of the Pd-Sn nanoparticles for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is greater than Pt or Pd nanoparticles in alkaline media. The molar ratio of Pd to Sn metal ions in the synthesizing solution, their initial concentrations, the concentration of ethanol, which increases primary hydrogen radicals during sonolysis, and the concentration of citric acid were found to affect the size distribution of the Pd-Sn nanoparticles, and therefore, those factors controlled the electrocatalytic activity for ORR. Particularly, the concentration of citric acid was found to be important for controlling the surface property on Pd-Sn particles to adjust the electrocatalytic activity for ORR.     

Core business concentration vs. corporate diversification in the US electric utility industry: Synergy and deregulation effects

Many economists such as Wilson (2002) [Wilson, R., 2002. Architecture of power market, Econometrica, 70, 1299–1340] have considered that there are similarities between electricity and gas services in the US electric utility industry. Hence, they expect a synergy effect between them. However, the two businesses do not have technology similarities at the level that the gas service produces a synergy effect with electricity. To examine whether there is a synergy effect of corporate diversification in the industry, we compare electricity-specialized firms with diversified utility firms in terms of their financial performance and corporate value. The comparison indicates that core business concentration is more effective for electric utility firms than corporate diversification under the current US deregulation policy.     

Determination of free fatty acids in milk and dairy products by reversed-phase HPLC with fluorescence detection

A highly sensitive HPLC with fluorescence detection was developed for the determination of free fatty acids (FFAs) in milk and dairy products. For this purpose, the FFAs were extracted from small amounts of milk (1.0 mL), cheese (0.5 g) and butter (0.5 g) using Sep-Pak cartridge columns, and then derivatized to 9-anthrylmethyl esters with 9-anthryldiazomethane (ADAM). Good separations of the ADAM derivatives of 16 FFAs (C4-C18) that exist in milk, cheese and butter, which permitted quantitative estimation of their individual FFAs, were achieved by HPLC on a C18 column (Cadenza CD-C18, 150 x 3 mm i.d.) using gradient elution with methanol and water. The acid values calculated from the contents of individual FFAs were in good agreement with those obtained by the conventional titration method. These results demonstrate that the present HPLC method is simple, sensitive and precise, and could be utilized widely for determination of the FFAs in milk and dairy products.     

Molecular recognition by wall-assembling-type nanocavity in aqueous media

Steroid cyclophanes, each having a macrocyclic ring attached to four bile acid moieties via chiral lysine connectors, were synthesized, and the binding of the 2-naphthylphenylketone (guest) to the steroid cyclophanes in water was investigated. The circular dichroism spectra of the steroid cyclophane with cholic acid and L-lysine were significantly affected by the binding of the guest, and the induced circular dichroism based on the absorption of the achiral guest was also observed. The binding of the guest to the steroid cyclophane with cholic acids and D-lysines induced changes in the circular dichroism spectra with the opposite sign of the molecular ellipticities. An induced circular dichroism spectral change was not observed upon binding of the guest to the analogous host without OH sites. These results strongly suggest that the guest is conformationally fixed through hydrogen bonding between the carbonyl group of the guest and the steroidal hydroxyl group of the host. The assembly of only four steroid residues on the macrocyclic ring probably provided a hydrophobic nanocavity for hydrogen bonding.