Fabrication of TiO2–SiO2 Photonic Crystals with Diamond Structure

Ceramic photonic crystals with diamond structure were fabricated using stereolithography and successive sintering. The green body of an epoxy resin incorporating 10 vol% TiO₂–SiO₂ was formed by stereolithography and then heated in air at 1100°–1400°C for 2 h. The sintered products maintained the diamond structure with a linear shrinkage ratio of about 57% and a porosity of 38%. The ceramic photonic crystal with eight unit cells showed a photonic band gap at the center frequency of 23.5 GHz. This fabrication method of three-dimensional (3D) ceramic photonic crystals is applicable to other 3D structural ceramics and does not require any molding techniques.     

Detection of light-absorbing iron oxide particles using a modified single-particle soot photometer

Copyright © 2016 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Protective effect of phytic acid hydrolysis products on iron-induced lipid peroxidation of liposomal membranes

Beneficial effects of dietary phytic acid (myo-inositol hexaphosphate; IP₆) have often been explained by its strong iron ion-chelating ability, which possibly suppresses iron ion-induced oxidative damage in the gastrointestinal tract. Because phytic acid is hydrolyzed during digestion, this work aimed to know whether its hydrolysis products (IP_2′ IP_3′, IP_4′ and IP₅) could still prevent iron ion-induced lipid peroxidation. Studies using liposomal membranes demonstrated that hydrolysis products containing three or more phosphate groups are able to inhibit iron ion-induced lipid peroxidation although their effectiveness decreased with dephosphorylation. Similarly, they also prevented iron ion-induced decomposition of phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide. These results demonstrate that intermediate products of phytic acid hydrolysis still possess iron ion-chelating ability, and thus they can probably prevent iron ion-induced lipid peroxidation in biological systems.     

Numerical simulation of a polypropylene foam bead expansion process

The production process for expanded polypropylene foam beads (EPP), which consists of steaming, depressurizing, cooling, and ageing operations, was consistently simulated by a set of mathematical models. The models, developed from Yang and Lee's ageing models (Yang and Lee, J. Cell. Plast., 39 , 59 (2003)) for extrusion foam products, were extended in terms of the fundamental aspects of mass and heat transport phenomena. Evaporation and condensation of blowing agents and heat conduction during the steam chest molding and ageing processes were modeled. The governing equations were established by integrating the mass transfer equations of steam and air at the intercellular walls with the constitutive equations of evaporation and condensation in each cell, the equation of heat conduction from the mold to the foam, and the mechanical force balance equation on the cell walls. The models simulate the stress exerted on the steaming chest mold and predict the expansion behavior of cells in the EPP bead‐foam board throughout the ageing process. A sensitivity analysis was also performed by the models to find the key factors which might allow the theoretical determination of the ejection time and shortening of the length of the ageing process. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 48:107–115, 2008. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Amorphous carbon-matrix composites with interconnected carbon nano-ribbon networks for electromagnetic interference shielding

Carbon-matrix composites with self-assembly interconnected carbon nano-ribbon networks were fabricated using natural and inexpensive rice husks by impregnating the rice husks with transitional metal solutions and sintering. The nano-structure of the composite was characterized using transmission electron microscopy. The electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of the composite was evaluated in the frequency range of 30 kHz–1.5 GHz. The electrical conductivity was measured as a function of the sintering temperature. These characteristics were compared with those of carbon-matrix composites without nano-ribbon networks.     

Spatial distribution of silica fillers in phase-separated rubber blends investigated by three-dimensional elemental mapping

The distribution of nano-sized silica in binary rubber blends is characterized by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) tomography combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). 3D distribution of silica is visualized by STEM-EDX tomography with the tilt-series of silicon elemental maps, while the phase-separated morphologies of polyisoprene rubber (IR) and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) are visualized by STEM-tomography in high-angle-annular-dark field (HAADF) mode. The combination of STEM-EDX and STEM-HAADF tomography enables us to determine the distribution of silica between the two rubber phases quantitatively even with high contents of silica up to 70 phr (weight parts per hundred rubber). It is found that silica is preferentially distributed in the SBR phase, but it is also distributed in the IR phase when the IR fraction in the total rubber components is higher than 40 wt%. The preferential distribution of silica in the SBR phase improves the dispersion of the IR domains. This is the first use of this technique for a multicomponent polymer system, showing the advantage to characterize the complicated multicomponent polymer composite morphologies.     

燃烧合成AlN粉体的放电等离子烧结及其导热性能

利用放电等离子烧结(spark plasma sintering,SPS)工艺研究了燃烧合成法制备的2种具有不同形貌的AlN粉以及1种碳热还原氮化法制备的市售亚微米级AlN粉的烧结性能、致密化机理以及导热性能。结果表明:燃烧合成法制备的AlN纳米晶须状粉末具有与亚微米级标准市售AlN粉末同样优异的烧结性能,都能够在无烧结助剂情况下在1600℃的较低温度下烧结致密。在烧结过程中,由于燃烧合成AlN粉自身的高化学活性和SPS产生的等离子体活化作用,使得AlN粉以自身的分解-再结晶-凝聚机制进行致密化,导致晶界强度很高,断裂时以穿晶断裂为主;而在市售AlN粉末烧结过程中以表面扩散机制致密化,在晶界处形成了AlON相,降低了晶界强度,因此以沿晶断裂为主。AlN原料的氧含量对热导率的影响很大。由于燃烧合成AlN粉体的氧含量较碳热还原法制备的市售AlN粉体略高,导致其烧结试样热导率略低。     

聚丙烯性能试验方法对比研究

选择均聚聚丙烯（PP—H）、抗冲共聚聚丙烯（PP—B）、无规共聚聚丙烯（PP—R）共7个牌号的聚丙烯（PP）产品为研究对象,对比研究了国际标准化组织（简称ISO）制定的标准和美国材料试验协会（简称ASTM）制定的标准对三类PP性能测试的影响。ISO和ASTM2种标准测得的PP产品的拉伸性能、弯曲性能、缺口冲击强度和负荷变形温度存在一定的差异。但2种标准的测试结果具有一定的规律性,这些规律可为今后修订聚丙烯行业和企业标准提供参考。     

Direct measurement of carbon enrichment during austenite to ferrite transformation in hypoeutectoid Fe–2Mn–C alloys

Carbon enrichment in untransformed austenite at the end of Mn partitionless growth of ferrite for Fe–2Mn–(0.05, 0.14)C (mass%) alloys isothermally transformed in the temperature range 873–998 K was measured using field-emission electron probe microanalysis to reveal its dependence on the transformation temperature, nominal carbon content and prior austenite grain size. The PLE/NPLE model gives much better predictions than the PE model for carbon enrichment in untransformed austenite at the end of partitionless growth. Carbon enrichment could be increased by reducing the prior austenite grain size. Furthermore, carbon enrichment shifted from the PLE/NPLE transition line to the T₀ line on lowering the transformation temperature. This shift is probably attributed to the solute drag effect and/or to the finite interface mobility, both of which vary with the transformation temperature.     

Prostaglandin F2alpha increases endothelial nitric oxide synthase in the periphery of the bovine corpus luteum: the possible regulation of blood flow at an early stage of luteolysis

Prostaglandin F(2)(alpha) (PGF(2)(alpha)) released from the uterus causes alterations in luteal blood flow, reduces progesterone secretion, and induces luteolysis in the bovine corpus luteum (CL). We have recently discovered that luteal blood flow in the periphery of the mature CL acutely increases coincidently with pulsatile increases in a metabolite of PGF(2)(alpha) (PGFM). In this study, we characterized changes in regional luteal blood flow together with regional alterations in endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression during spontaneous luteolysis and in response to PGF(2)(alpha). Smooth muscle actin-positive blood vessels larger than 20 microm were observed mainly in the periphery of mature CL. PGF(2)(alpha) receptor was localized to luteal cells and large blood vessels in the periphery of mid-CL. PGF(2)(alpha) acutely stimulated eNOS expression in the periphery but not in the center of mature CL. Injection of the NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine into CL induced an acute increase in luteal blood flow and shortened the estrous cycle. In contrast, injection of the NOS inhibitor l-NAME into CL completely suppressed the acute increase in luteal blood flow induced by PGF(2)(alpha) and delayed the onset of luteolysis. In conclusion, PGF(2)(alpha) has a site-restricted action depending on not only luteal phase but also the region in the CL. PGF(2)(alpha) stimulates eNOS expression, vasodilation of blood vessels, and increased luteal blood flow in periphery of mature CL. Furthermore, the increased blood flow is mediated by NO, suggesting that the acute increase in peripheral blood flow to CL is one of the first physiological indicators of NO action in response to PGF(2)(alpha).