Reprint of “Suppressing propylene carbonate decomposition by coating graphite electrode foil with silver”

A method has been developed to suppress the decomposition of propylene carbonate (PC) by coating graphite electrode foil with a layer of silver. Results from electrochemical impedance measurements show that the Ag-coated graphite electrode presents lower charge transfer resistance and faster diffusion of lithium ions in comparison with the virginal one. Cyclic voltammograms and discharge-charge measurements suggest that the decomposition of propylene carbonate and co-intercalation of solvated lithium ions are prevented, and lithium ions can reversibly intercalate into and deintercalate from the Ag-coated graphite electrode. These results indicate that Ag-coating is a good way to improve the electrochemical performance of graphitic carbon in PC-based electrolyte solutions.     

Determination of fatty acid composition by gas chromatography: II. Analysis with use of flame ionization detector

In this study known mixtures of four or five fatty acid methyl esters were analyzed collaboratively by gas chromatography with flame ionization detectors. The experimental data was treated statistically to examine inter- and intralaboratory scattering. More-over the effect of the use of correction factors was investigated. Even if only the specific analytical values that scattered a little were chosen, the averages of such values did not always approach the actual values. In some laboratories a sort of regularity was observed in the deviation of analytical values from real values throughout the analyses of four samples. The application of correction factors to the analytical values obtained by these laboratories resulted in a considerable decrease of interlaboratory scattering and deviation from the real values. When a constant amount of sample was injected, intralaboratory scattering was decreased, whereas interlaboratory scattering was not. Injection of large sample sizes caused deviation. From this collaborative study it was recommended that 0.5–1.0 μl of 20% solution be injected. Presented at the JOCS-AOCS Joint Meeting, Los Angeles, April 1972.     

Sintering behaviour of La1−xSrxFeO3−δ mixed conductors

The sintering properties of La_1−xSr_xFeO_3−δ (x = 0.1, 0.25) mixed conductors have been investigated with particular emphasis on the effect of secondary phases due to cation non-stoichiometry (±5 mol% La excess and deficiency). Secondary phases, located at grain boundaries in cation non-stoichiometric materials, increased the sintering temperature compared to single-phase materials. Extensive swelling in final stage of sintering was observed in all materials, which resulted in micro-porous materials. The swelling was most pronounced in the phase pure and two-phase materials due to La-deficiency, while refractory secondary phases in La-excess materials inhibited both sintering, grain growth and swelling. In La-deficient materials, formation of molten secondary phases resulted in rapid swelling due to viscous flow. The present findings demonstrated the importance of controlling sintering temperature and time, as well as careful control of the cation stoichiometry of La_1−xSr_xFeO_3−δ in order to achieve fully dense and homogenous La_1−xSr_xFeO_3−δ ceramics.     

Properties and structure of welded joints of high-strength steel after zonal heat treatment by electron beam

Conclusion Zonal electron-beam heat treatment in vacuum of welded joints of high-strength steel, produced by electron-beam welding, brings about a troostomartensitic and a martensitic-sorbitic structure in the welded joint and equalization of the properties over the section of the welded joint: impact toughness of the welding seam and of the weld-affected zone is practically the same, viz., 30 J/m².Translated from Metallovedenie i Termicheskaya Obrabotka Metallov, No. 3, pp. 7–8, March, 1991.     

Assessment of response function in two PET scanners with and without interplane septa

The authors have assessed the response function both experimentally and theoretically for two commercial tomographs: CTI 931/08-12 and CTI 953B with and without interplane septa. Monte Carlo simulations were undertaken using the GEANT package from CERN. Spatial resolution (tomographic and axial) was calculated for line sources at various positions in the field of view. Sensitivity and scatter fraction (SF) were calculated for various source geometries as a function of energy discrimination. A very realistic response function in positron emission tomography (PET) is obtained by Monte Carlo methods, using global parameters to account for unsimulated phenomena such as scintillation light transport inside a detector block and its sharing among the various phototubes. Minor discrepancies remain for sensitivity and SF at high energy thresholds and may probably be explained by introducing the observed dispersion in the energy response for the various crystals within a detector block.     

Noise equivalent count measurements in a neuro-PET scanner with retractable septa

The noise-equivalent count-rate (NEC) performance of a neuro-positron emission tomography (PET) scanner has been determined with and without interplane septa on uniform cylindrical phantoms of differing radii and in human studies to assess the optimum count rate conditions that realize the maximum gain. In the brain, the effective gain in NEC performance for three-dimensions (3-D) ranges from >5 at low count rates to approximately 3.3 at 200 kcps (equivalent to 37 kcps in 2-D). The gains of the 3-D method assessed by this analysis are significant, and are shown to be highly dependent on count rate and object dimensions.     

Preparation and clinical trial of new dried balanced food products "Unipit" for total restorative nutrition]

Designs of 2 types of dried balanced food mixtures ("Unipit-1" and "Unipit-2") intended for complete recovery nutrition of patients with retained and disordered digestive function have been validated. The chemical composition of these products has been presented. The results of clinical trials have proved the high therapeutic effectiveness of "Unipit-1" and "Unipit-2" in rehabilitation of neurosurgical patients.     

Cation interdiffusion between thick film of YBa2Cu3O7-δ and ceramic substrate

Thick films of superconducting oxides, YBa₂Cu₃O_7-, were successfully made by conventional screen-printing technology on Al₂O₃, MgO, and ZrO₂ substrates. Interdiffusion between the superconductive film and substrate was investigated using analytical electron microscopy. The results indicate that MgO and ZrO₂ are superior to Al₂O₃ for substrate materials.     

Synthesis of polycrystalline alumina fibre with aluminium chelate precursor

Polycrystalline alumina fibre was successfully synthesized by pyrolysis of preceramic fibre formed from aluminium chelate compound. Ethyl 3-oxobutanoatodiisopropoxyaluminium (EOPA) was reacted with glacial acetic acid yielding a polymeric product. The absorption bands ascribed to Al-O from 630–705 cm^–1 changed from a sharp to a broad band on treatment with acetic acid. The¹³CNMR spectrum of EOPA changed from sharp singlets to multiplets after the reaction with acetic acid. The viscosity of the polymeric product increased in intensity with increasing amount of acetic acid. The viscosity of the polymeric product formed from EOPA-30 mol % acetic acid was 450 Pa s at 30 °C, and decreased to 5.4 Pa s with increasing measurement temperature from 30–70 °C. The²⁷Al resonance at 35 p.p.m. increased in intensity with increasing viscosity of the polymeric precursor. The molecular weight of the precursor was distributed from 400–800. The polymeric precursor pyrolysed at 500 °C in air was amorphous to X-rays, and crystallized in -alumina at 840 °C. The precursor fibres were pyrolysed, to yield fine-grained fibres of -alumina, at 1300 °C for 1 h.