Medical application of carbon-nanotube-filled nanocomposites: the microcatheter

Carbon nanotubes hold great promise for use in biomedical fields. Among numerous potential applications, including DNA and protein sensors, bioseparators, biocatalysts, and tissue scaffolds, this article emphasizes the use of carbon-nanotube-filled polymer composites as medical devices, namely, microcatheters. The currently hot topic of the biocompatibility (e.g., toxic properties) of carbon nanotubes is discussed. In addition, critical issues that must be clarified for the full utilization of current carbon-nanotube science and technology in biomedical fields are discussed.     

Preparation and characterization of nanoporous films derived from alicyclic copolyimides having pendent poly(propyleneglycol) groups

Nanoporous films were prepared with alicyclic copolyimides (coPIs) having polypropylene glycol (PPG) side chains by way of spontaneous phase separation in the film forming process and the subsequent thermal degradation of PPG moieties. PIs having various content (6.5, 11.9, 26.3, 52.7 wt%) and different length (M_w = 1.2 × 10³ and 2.4 × 10³) of PPG side chains were examined in order to clarify the relationship between chemical structure and pore characteristics. Nanopores were formed by heating the coPI films at 200 °C for 9 h under slightly reduced pressure. The size and the number of the pores observed by SEM varied depending on the content and molecular weight of PPG moieties. In many cases, the pore size was larger than those of the reported values for related aromatic copolyimide films. The dielectric constant of the nanoporous films ranged from 2.52 to 3.38.     

Main‐chain smectic liquid crystalline polymer exhibiting unusually high thermal conductivity in an isotropic composite

The thermal conductivity (TC) of an isotropic composite comprising of a main‐chain smectic liquid crystalline PB‐10 polyester and 50‐μm‐sized roughly spherical magnesium oxide (MgO) particles is investigated. The increase in the composite TC with higher MgO fractions is steeper than that expected by Bruggeman's theory for the TC of a polydomain PB‐10 polyester (0.52 W m^?1 K^?1). When the filler content is larger than 30 vol %, the composite TC approaches a value that can be explained only if the polyester functions as a matrix with 1.0 W m^?1 K^?1, which is five times as high as those of isotropic common polymers (0.2 W m^?1 K^?1). Such an unusually high TC for a polymer matrix is attributed to some polymer lamellae that lie parallel to the particle surface and are stacked toward neighboring particles, thus creating effective heat paths between the particles and a continuous thermal network in a composite. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2014 , 131, 39896.     

高速工具钢的超长寿命S-N曲线特征和内部裂纹萌生行为

为了研究高速工具钢超长寿命S-N曲线特征和内部裂纹萌生行为,使用沙漏形状试样在室温空气环境下进行旋转弯曲的疲劳试验。结果表明,材料的S-N曲线均由表面裂纹萌生型和内部裂纹萌生型组成。表面裂纹萌生型的S-N曲线位于高应力幅短寿命区,内部裂纹萌生型的S-N曲线位于低应力幅长寿命区。前者的S-N曲线向后者的转移几乎是连续的,回火温度对疲劳强度和寿命没有明显的影响。分别使用扫描电子显微镜、扫描探针显微镜和电子探针X射线微区分析仪对内部裂纹萌生位置和材料组织进行对比观察,在萌生内部裂纹的夹杂物周围存在一个颗粒区域,该区域内凸起的颗粒是组织中的球形碳化物。颗粒区是在内部裂纹扩展的应力强度因子门槛值范围以下形成的,对超长寿命疲劳起着重要的作用。     

Effect of MgO Addition on the Bondability and Interfacial Reaction between Dielectric and Glass-Ceramics for the Fabrication of Multi-Component Ceramic Substrates

Bondability and interfacial reaction between dielectric and insulator layers have been examined to obtain a basic understanding of bonding mechanisms. Lead-containing complex perovskite was used as a dielectric material. Two kinds of glass-ceramics were used as insulator material; lead borosilicate glass containing Al_2O3 (insulator A) and the same containing Al₂O₃ and M_gO (insulator B). Dielectric and insulator layers did not bond when insulator A was used. When insulator B was used, however, strong bonding was achieved between the two layers by firing the powder compacts at temperatures between 800° and 1000°C. Addition of M_gO to lead borosilicate glass increased the thermal expansion coefficient to that of the dielectric and enhanced the formation of reaction layers, resulting in good bonding. Two reaction layers were identified. The main reaction products were enstatite and bredigite for one layer contacting the dielectric, and enstatite and a compound with the same diffraction pattern as that of faujasite for the other layers contacting insulator B.     

研磨加工层对高碳铬轴承钢超长寿命疲劳行为的影响

为了阐明磨石研磨加工层对高碳铬轴承钢JIS SUJ2超长寿命疲劳行为的影响,分别使用经砂纸研磨和电解研磨的砂漏形试样,在室温空气环境下进行旋转弯曲疲劳试验.砂纸研磨试样被除去部分磨石研磨层,电解研磨试样被除去了全部的磨石研磨层.结果表明,两种试样的S-N曲线由位于短寿命区的表面破坏模式和位于长寿命区的内部破坏模式的两条组成,表面破坏模式的S-N曲线受表面粗糙度和表面压缩残余应力的影响.内部破坏模式的S-N曲线不受表面条件的影响,是材料固有的特性.砂纸研磨试样表面破坏模式的疲劳极限最高,是电解研磨试样1.11倍和磨石研磨的1.20倍.表面压缩残余应力对表面破坏模式疲劳极限的影响可以用修正Goodman图表示.还讨论裂纹的萌生和扩展条件,推定超长寿命的疲劳极限.     

Methanogenic digestion using mixed substrate of acetic, propionic and butyric acids

Experiments on methanogenic digestion using high concentrations of mixed substrate were conducted. The major intermediate products of anaerobic digestion such as acetic, propionic and butyric acids were mixed in a ratio of 2:1:1 (COD basis), respectively, and used as a substrate for feeding into continuous-flow chemostat reactors maintained at 35°C. These reactors were operated stably at higher feed substrate concentrations and shorter hydraulic retention times (HRT) than those of using a single component of volatile fatty acids as a substrate. At an HRT of 4.43 days, the methanogenesis occurred normally up to a feed substrate concentration of 70,000 mg COD I⁻¹. At a feed substrate concentration of 20,000 mg COD I⁻¹, the methanogenesis occurred normally up to an HRT of 2.91 days and the minimum SRT for microbial populations was calculated to be 2.42 days. An increase in feed substrate concentration adversely affected the propionate degradation strikingly, while a decrease in HRT significantly adversely affected the acetate and propionate degradation. The methane production was 0.301 g⁻¹ COD utilized, and it was independent of the feed substrate concentration and HRT. Bacilli were predominant in all reactors, but sarcinae appeared in the reactors with high feed substrate concentrations and short HRTs. Phenomena in digester failure due to methanogen washout were also observed.     

The Hybrid Drop Test

To verify the cushion performance of transport packaging, two traditional drop test methods – free fall and controlled shock tests – and a traditional simulation method are often used. However, it is difficult to assure the safety of a test product when the traditional drop test method is applied, and results from the traditional simulation method are not sufficiently accurate to be used to test packaging material. Therefore, we propose a new test method called ‘the hybrid drop test’ by integrating the traditional drop test and simulation methods. The hybrid drop test ensures the safety of the test product and improves test efficiency. The results of the verification test show that this new drop test method can be applied to test the cushion performance of pulp mould transport packaging. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of BaF2 powder addition on the synthesis of YAG phosphor by mechanical method

Here, we report on the effect of BaF₂ powder addition on the mechanical synthesis of Ce³⁺-doped Y₃Al₅O₁₂ (Y_2.97Al₅O₁₂:Ce_0.03³⁺, YAG:Ce³⁺) phosphors for white light emitting diodes. The YAG phosphors were synthesized by the mechanical method using an attrition-type mill. When BaF₂ was added at 6 wt% to the raw powder materials and milled, the synthesis of YAG:Ce³⁺ was favorably achieved at the vessel temperature of 255 °C, which was about 1200 °C lower than the YAG phosphor synthesis temperature by solid-state reaction. The synthesized YAG:Ce³⁺ phosphor revealed the maximum internal quantum yield of 57%.