Carbon nanocomposites synthesized by high-energy mechanical milling of graphite and magnesium for hydrogen storage

Nanocomposites obtained by mechanical milling of graphite and magnesium with organic additives (benzene, cyclohexene or cyclohexane) have been studied with the aim of preparing novel hydrogen storage materials. The organic additives were very important in the milling processes to determine the characteristics of the resulting carbon nanocomposites. The mechanical milling with high energy resulted in the generation of large amounts of dangling carbon bonds in graphite with simultaneous decomposition of graphite structure. Such dangling bonds of carbon acted as sites to take up hydrogen. It has been proved by temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and neutron diffraction measurements that the hydrogen taken up in the nanocomposites exists in at least two states; in the form of C–H bond formation in the graphite component and in the form of hydride in the magnesium component. The relative amounts of two types of hydrogen strongly depended upon differences in additives used (benzene, cyclohexene or cyclohexane). When C₆D₆ besides C₆H₆ was used as additive, the hydrogen taken up was discussed from the standpoint of isotope effects. Upon addition of titanium tetraisopropoxide, the features of hydrogen uptake by the nanocomposites changed completely.     

Presence of platelet-activating factor in pyuria in humans

The relationship between the occurrence of platelet-activating factor (PAF) and neutrophils in urine from patients with urinary tract infection was examined. PAF was detected in human pyuria, when leukocyte levels reached at least 300 cells/μL (n=45), but not in normal urine (n=12). The amount of PAF found in pyuria, measured by platelet aggregation assay, was 0.01 to 13.3 pmol/mL. A close correlation was seen between the amount of PAF present and the number of urinary leukocytes (p<0.01, r=0.70). The leukocytes in pyuria consisted almost entirely of neutrophils (96±4%, mean ±S.D.). Our findings suggest that the occurrence of PAF is associated with the accumulation of neutrophils in urine. Based on a paper presented at the Third International Conference on Platelet-Activating Factor and Structurally Related Alkyl Ether Lipids, Tokyo, Japan, May 1989.     

Aspirin-sensitive urticaria: provocation with a leukotriene receptor antagonist

The diagnosis of two patients with aspirin-induced urticaria (AIU) was confirmed by oral provocation with aspirin, other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and food additives. Low doses of a novel leukotriene (LT) receptor antagonist, ONO-1078 (ONO, Japan) induced urticaria in these patients, while the same doses of ONO-1078 did not provoke any eruptions in 10 normal healthy volunteers or five patients with aspirin-unrelated chronic urticaria. This is the first report that a selective LTD4/LTE4 receptor antagonist that is effective as an antiasthmatic agent evoked urticaria in patients with AIU. Our observation suggests that the pathogenesis of AIU depends on the stimulation of LT receptors. The accumulation of results of anti-LT therapy may provide clues to resolve the pathogenetic mechanisms of this disorder.     

A PSK Group Modem for Satellite Communications

A PSK group modem which modulates and demodulates multiple PSK signals en bloc will play an important role in realizing a cost-effective satellite communications system based on the narrowband multicarrier PSK/FDMA technique. This paper briefly discusses its possible applications, and presents a developed PSK group modem including its algorithm, hardware design, and implementation. In the algorithm, filtering of respective PSK signals is effectively carried out by digital signal processing techniques applied to the digital transmultiplexer. Furthermore, in order to compensate for the difference between the operation timing of the PSK group modem and the symbol timing of each input/output data signal, digital signal processings based on a table-look-up method using ROM and a rate-conversion filter with adaptive weighting are proposed for the modulator and demodulator, respectively. An experimental 4-phase PSK group modem has been developed, and experiments have been conducted under various conditions. The measured performance of the developed hardware is also demonstrated.     

Regular network polyamide and copolyamide films from trimesic acid and aliphatic diamines

Regular network polyamide films made from trimesic acid (Y) and aliphatic diamines as well as copolyamide films made from hexamethylene diamine (6) and dodecamethylene diamine (12) with Y were prepared. Prepolymers obtained by melt polycondensation for a short period of time were cast from a DMF solution and successively post-polymerized at 300°C to form a network. The resultant films were transparent, flexible and insoluble in any solvents. Heat distortion temperature (T_h) measured by a penetration mode of thermomechanical analysis rapidly increased with increasing post-polymerization time, and then levelled out after 0.5–1 h. T_h was 238, 231, 232, 216, 207, 187, 176 and 163°C for 4Y, 5Y, 6Y, 7Y, 8Y, 9Y, 10Y and 12Y post-polymerized for 4h, respectively. Degrees of reaction estimated from the infrared absorbance of ester and methylene groups were 88 and 83% for 6Y and 12Y post-polymerized for 4h, respectively. Two diffraction peaks appeared in the wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) pattern, suggesting some ordered structure owing to the regular networks. Density increased with increasing post-polymerization time and was 1.266, 1.236, 1.214, 1.175, 1.162, 1.145, 1.130 and 1.107 g/cm³ for 4Y, 5Y, 6Y, 7Y, 8Y, 9Y, 10Y and 12Y post-polymerized for 4h, respectively. WAXS patterns of copolymer films of 12/6-Y suggested the continuous change of network structure with copolymer composition. It was found that comonomer disturbs the formation of ordered network structure, and decreases the packing of networks, thus decreasing density, T_h and tensile properties, and increasing dye absorption of copolymer films. From the dye absorption behavior, it was suggested that these regular network films could be utilized as membranes for the separation of molecules by varying the chain length between crosslinked sites.     

Effective treatment of thymic carcinoma with operation and combination chemotherapy against acute monocyte leukemia: case report and review of the literature

Thymic carcinoma associated with acute monocyte leukemia (AMoL) and a history of choriocarcinoma was diagnosed in a 58-year-old female. We found no other such case in a literature search. She was first treated with DCMP therapy: daunorubicin, cytosine arabinoside, 6MP-riboside, and prednisolone against AMoL. After induction chemotherapy, complete AMoL remission was attained. Chest CT scan after chemotherapy revealed regression of the mediastinal tumor. Resection of the tumor included the left upper lobe of the lung, phrenic nerve and pericardium. Pathological diagnosis showed poorly or moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Although the patient died of pneumonia during chemotherapy for relapsed AMoL, chest X-ray and CT revealed no recurrence of the mediastinal tumor after the original operation. Judging from this case and other successful cases of chemotherapy, we feel that intensive chemotherapy may be a beneficial strategy against thymic carcinoma.     

Contributions of Mobile and Bonded Molecules to Dynamic Friction of Nanometer-Thick Perfluoropolyether Films Coated on Magnetic Disk Surfaces

To protect the interface against intermittent head–disk contact in hard disk drives, nanometer-thick perfluoropolyether (PFPE) films consisting of both “bonded” and “mobile” molecules are applied on the disk surfaces. Because of their different adsorption states and mobility, the bonded and mobile molecules are supposed to contribute differently to friction properties, which directly impact the stability of ultra-low flying head–disk interfaces. By measuring the friction force at light loads and low to high speeds as a function of bonded and mobile film thicknesses, we studied the contributions of bonded and mobile molecules to the dynamic friction of nanometer-thick PFPE films. We found that the friction coefficient of lubricant films without or with less bonded molecules increased as a power function of sliding speed, whereas that of lubricant films with more bonded molecules increased logarithmically with sliding speed. We suggest that these results can be explained by the following mechanisms: the dynamic friction of lubricant films without and with less bonded molecules is dominated by shear thinning behavior of mobile molecules, while that of lubricant films with more bonded molecules is governed by bonded molecules which lead to boundary lubrication.     

Formation of thermosensitive copolymer beads having phosphinic acid groups and adsorption ability for metal ions

Hydrophilic thermosensitive copolymer beads having phosphinic acid groups were prepared by suspension copolymerization of acryloyloxypropyl n‐octylphosphinic acid (APPO), N‐isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAAm), and tetraethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (4G). The thermosensitivity and the adsorption ability of the copolymer beads for metal ions beads were studied. The APPO‐NIPAAm‐4G copolymer beads were obtained in a good yield by suspension copolymerization of monomers (APPO, NIPAAm, and 4G) dissolved in chloroform, in a saturated Na₂SO₄ aqueous solution in the presence of surfactant and MgCO₃. The APPO‐NIPAAm‐4G copolymer beads had higher adsorption ability for lanthanide metal ions (Eu³⁺, Sm³⁺, Nd³⁺, or La³⁺) than for main transition metal ions (Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, or Co²⁺). Furthermore, it was also found that the APPO‐NIPAAm‐4G copolymer beads had selective adsorption ability between lanthanide metal ions, and the order of adsorption ability for lanthanide metal ions was as follows: Eu³⁺ > Sm³⁺ > Nd³⁺ > La³⁺. The selective adsorption for these metal ions from their mixed solutions was performed by both a batch method and a column method. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 99: 449–460, 2006     

Effect of Ultraviolet Irradiation on the Interactions between Perfluoropolyether Lubricant and Magnetic Disk Surfaces

To tailor the characteristics of molecularly thin lubricant films, magnetic disk surfaces coated with nanometer-thick perfluoropolyether AM3001 lubricant films were irradiated with 184.9 and 253.7 nm ultraviolet (UV) rays. We elucidated the effect of UV irradiation on the interactions between the lubricant and the magnetic disk surface via surface energy, bonded lubricant thickness and lubricant spreading measurements for films with and without UV irradiation. We found that UV irradiation decreased the dispersive and polar surface energies of the lubricant films by 20 and 80%, respectively; increased bonded lubricant thickness; and decelerated lubricant spreading. These results indicated that dispersion and polar interactions between lubricant molecules and the magnetic disk surface were strengthened by UV irradiation.     

Evaluations of tribological characteristics of PFPE lubricants on DLC surfaces of magnetic disks

This article presents measurements of adhesion and friction of perfluoropolyether (PFPE) lubricant films dip-coated on magnetic disks covered with diamond-like carbon (DLC) film. We have developed a custom-built pin-on-disk type micro-tribotester to perform the tribological measurements. The adhesion tests were performed by pulling down/up a 1.5-mm-diameter glass ball on a stationary disk surface, and the friction tests were carried out by sliding the glass ball on a rotating disk surface without changing head-disk interface conditions from the adhesion tests. Experiments were performed for the different kinds of 2- and 6-nm-thick PFPE lubricants (polar: Zdol4000 and Zdol2000; nonpolar: Z03) under lightly loaded and slow sliding conditions to minimize disturbance against the molecular layered structure. The adhesive forces were found to decrease with increasing film thickness in the order of Z03 > Zdol2000 > Zdol4000 (decreasing rate), which closely corresponds to the order of monolayer thickness, and then to saturate to almost the same calculated values. As for the friction forces of 2-nm-thick films, Zdol2000 featured extraordinarily large friction in comparison with Zdol4000 and Z03, while Zdol4000 was slightly larger than Z03. The largest friction of Zdol2000 reveals that the 2-nm-thick Zdol2000 formed a monolayer that served as an immobile layer. With the increase in film thickness, the friction force of Zdol2000 decreased, indicating that extra lubricant molecules served as a mobile layer, while that of Z03 remained unchanged as the lowest value. By extrapolating the loading force versus friction force relationship into a negative loading force region, it is found that the friction force of Z03 tended to zero at zero net load (loading force plus adhesion force), while those for Zdol2000 and Zdol4000 exhibited finite values, indicating formation of an immobile layer, which shows similar characteristics to those of adhesive rubber material. The dewetted surface is found to feature violently changing friction force only at the first stage of sliding, and it then becomes stable after several sliding passes.