Development of temperature-control system for liquid droplet using surface Acoustic wave devices

In this paper, we present a liquid-droplet-heating system using a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device. When liquid is placed on a Rayleigh-SAW-propagating surface, a longitudinal wave is radiated into the liquid. If the SAW amplitude increases, the liquid shows non-linear dynamics, such as vibrating, streaming, small droplet flying, and atomizing. This phenomenon is well known as SAW streaming. The liquid temperature is measured during the longitudinal wave radiation and found to increase. First, the mechanism of the liquid-heating effect is discussed on the basis of experimental results. The surface electrical condition is changed to investigate the effect of dielectric heating. The obtained results indicate that the radiated longitudinal wave causes liquid heating and the dielectric heating effect does not. Second, the fundamental properties of the liquid temperature are measured by varying the applied voltage, duty factor, and liquid viscosity. The liquid temperature is found to be proportional to the duty factor and the square of the applied voltage. Therefore, the liquid temperature can be controlled by these applied signals. Also, by using highly viscous solutions, the liquid temperature is increased to more than 100 °C. Moreover, for chemical applications, the possibility of periodic temperature control is tested by varying the duty factor. The obtained results strongly suggest that an efficient thermal cycler is realized. A novel application of the SAW device is proposed on the basis of SAW streaming.     

The Novel Additive 1‐Naphthalenethiol Opens a New Processing Route to Efficiency‐Enhanced Polymer Solar Cells

Polymer solar cells (PSCs) based on fullerene derivatives often require additives to optimize active layer morphology. Here, the novel additive 1‐naphthalenethiol (SH‐na) is proposed for processing the PSC active layer of PTB7:PC₇₁BM. Spin‐casting with SH‐na as additive achieves a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.3%, compared to 6.7% for preparations containing the conventional 1,8‐diiodooctane additive. Dipping of the active layer into a methanol solution of critical SH‐na concentration increases the PCE further to 8.75%. This is mainly due to an improved open‐circuit voltage (from 0.72 to 0.79 V) together with a high achieved fill factor of 0.70. The improved PCE is correlated to the morphology optimization according to measurements of grazing incidence small/wide‐angle X‐ray scattering, neutron reflectivity, atomic force microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The integrated results suggest that the halogen‐free additive SH‐na can form hydrogen bonds with both PTB7 and PC₇₁BM, resulting in substantially improved PTB7 crystallization and multi‐length‐scale PC₇₁BM dispersion for appropriate aggregation and networks. The subsequent dipping treatment with SH‐na further modifies the active layer morphology for a more PC₇₁BM‐enriched surface and better PC₇₁BM networks in the bulk film for an optimized electron‐to‐hole mobility ratio of 2.04, hence resulting in improved device performance.     

Supermirror neutron guide system for neutron resonance spin echo spectrometers at a pulsed neutron source

A neutron guide system for neutron resonance spin echo spectrometers has been constructed at BL06 of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex, Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility. The spectrometers consist of two types of neutron spin echo instruments, a modulated intensity by zero effort instrument (MIEZE) and a neutron resonance spin echo instrument (NRSE), to cover a wide energy range for various sample environments. A neutron beam from the moderator is deflected by supermirror neutron guides, split, and separately guided into the MIEZE and NRSE. The characteristic wavelengths of the neutron guide tube for the MIEZE and NRSE are 2.9 and 4.9 Å, respectively. The cross sections of the exit of the MIEZE and NRSE guides are 15 mm × 50 mm and 30 mm × 50 mm, respectively. The neutronics and shielding design were optimized by using the heavy ion transport code system (PHITS), and the absolute average neutron fluxes at the exits of the MIEZE and NRSE guides are estimated to be 2.7 × 10⁸ and 6.9 × 10⁸ n/cm²/s/MW, respectively. The measured fluxes of the MIEZE and NRSE neutron guides are 0.56 and 0.95 times the calculated values, respectively.     

Separation and enrichment of carbon dioxide by capillary membrane module with permeation of carrier solution

A novel facilitated transport membrane for gas separation using a capillary membrane module is proposed in which a carrier solution is forced to permeate the membrane. Both a feed gas and a carrier solution are supplied to the lumen side (high pressure side, feed side) of the capillary ultrafiltration membrane and flow upward. Most of the carrier solution which contains dissolved solute gas, CO₂ in the present case, permeates the membrane to the permeate side (low pressure side, shell side), where the solution liberates dissolved gas to form a lean solution. The lean solution is circulated to the lumen side. This type of capillary membrane module was applied to the separation of CO₂ from model flue gases consisting of CO₂ and N₂. Monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA) and 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) were used as carriers or absorbents of CO₂. The feed side pressure was atmospheric and the permeate side was evacuated at about 10 kPa. CO₂ in the feed gas was successfully concentrated from 5–15% to more than 98%. The CO₂ permeance was as high as 2.7×10⁻⁴ mol m⁻² s⁻¹ kPa⁻¹ (8.0×10⁻⁴ cm³ cm⁻² s⁻¹ cmHg⁻¹) when the CO₂ mole fraction in the feed was 0.1 and temperature was 333 K. The selectivity of CO₂ over N₂ was in the range from 430 to 1790. The membrane was very stable over a discontinuous one-month testing period.     

Fatty Acid Desaturation and Elongation Reactions of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma</Emphasis> sp. 1-OH-2-3

The fatty acid desaturation and elongation reactions catalyzed by Trichoderma sp. 1-OH-2-3 were investigated. This strain converted palmitic acid (16:0) mainly to stearic acid (18:0), and further to oleic acid (c9-18:1), linoleic acid (c9,c12-18:2), and α-linolenic acid (c9,c12,c15-18:3) through elongation, and Δ9, Δ12, and Δ15 desaturation reactions, respectively. Palmitoleic acid (c9-16:1) and cis-9,cis-12-hexadecadienoic acid were also produced from 16:0 by the strain. This strain converted n-tridecanoic acid (13:0) to cis-9-heptadecenoic acid and further to cis-9,cis-12-heptadecadienoic acid through elongation, and Δ9 and Δ12 desaturation reactions, respectively. trans-Vaccenic acid (t11-18:1) and trans-12-octadecenoic acid (t12-18:1) were desaturated by the strain through Δ9 desaturation. The products derived from t11-18:1 were identified as the conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) of cis-9,trans-11-octadecadienoic acid and trans-9,trans-11-octadecadienoic acid. The product derived from t12-18:1 was identified as cis-9,trans-12-octadecadienoic acid. cis-6,cis-9-Octadecadienoic acid was desaturated to cis-6,cis-9,cis-12-octadecatrienoic acid by this strain through Δ12 desaturation. The broad substrate specificity of the elongation, and Δ9 and Δ12 desaturation reactions of the strain is useful for fatty acid biotransformation.     

Structural Characterization of Heat-Treated Activated Carbon Fibers

Pitch (PIT) and cellulose (CEL)-based activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were heated at 1473–3173 K under an Ar atmosphere. The N₂ adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and magnetic susceptibility of the heat-treated ACFs were measured. The specific surface area of ACF samples was determined by the subtracting pore effect (SPE) analysis using the N₂ adsorption isotherm.Both stacking height, Lc and stacking width, La of ACFs began to increase remarkably above 2000 K. The amounts of N₂ adsorption on PIT and CEL became nil by heating above 1773 K and 2073 K, respectively. The relationships between the heating temperature and the magnetic susceptibility of ACFs near room temperature were divided into three regions: below 1773 K, from 1773 K to 2473 K, and above 2473 K.The results from gas adsorption, X-ray diffraction and magnetic susceptibilities have been explained with respect to the changes taking place in these three regions.     

A calculation of torque in motors considering rotor eccentricity

A new analytical approach to the finite element calculation of torque in motors including eccentric rotor, based on the Maxwell stress method, is proposed in this paper, where the effects due to eccentricity on the cogging torque and the torque characteristics with regard to the speed are confirmed. A brushless dc motor is employed as an analytical model for two kinds of eccentricity. Consequently, in the case of eccentric motors, the unbalanced radial force functions as the repulsive force against rotation which causes the reduction of average torque, and two kinds of eccentric motors have the same tendency regarding the effects on the torque. This proposed approach is applicable to any kind of motor including eccentric rotor. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 132(4): 53–61, 2000