Solar to chemical conversion using metal nanoparticle modified microcrystalline silicon thin film photoelectrode

Microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) thin films, which are prospective low-cost semiconductor materials, are used as photoelectrodes for the direct conversion of solar energy to chemical energy. An n-type microcrystalline cubic silicon carbide layer and an intrinsic μc-Si:H layer are deposited on glassy carbon substrates using the hot-wire cat-CVD method. The μc-Si:H electrodes are modified with platinum nanoparticles through electroless displacement deposition. The electrodes produce hydrogen gas and iodine via photoelectrochemical decomposition of hydrogen iodide with no external bias under solar illumination. Surface modification with platinum nanoparticles and surface termination with iodine improve the conversion efficiency.     

Phase‐Change Materials: Vibrational Softening upon Crystallization and Its Impact on Thermal Properties

Crystallization of an amorphous solid is usually accompanied by a significant change of transport properties, such as an increase in thermal and electrical conductivity. This fact underlines the importance of crystalline order for the transport of charge and heat. Phase‐change materials, however, reveal a remarkably low thermal conductivity in the crystalline state. The small change in this conductivity upon crystallization points to unique lattice properties. The present investigation reveals that the thermal properties of the amorphous and crystalline state of phase‐change materials show remarkable differences such as higher thermal displacements and a more pronounced anharmonic behavior in the crystalline phase. These findings are related to the change of bonding upon crystallization, which leads to an increase of the sound velocity and a softening of the optical phonon modes at the same time.     

Development of laser ion source for heavy ion applications

We have been developing a high-performance laser ion source (LIS) for practical applications since 2009. Ideally, the LIS should generate a carbon beam with a peak current of 20 mA and a pulse duration of over 1 μs. We selected a Nd:YAG laser with a Gaussian-coupled resonator as the laser source based on our experience of generating high-charge-state ion beams. This laser can produce fundamental pulses with a power of 650 mJ and durations of about 6 ns. The graphite target used is 10 cm high and 10 cm in diameter, as it can be irradiated with up to 10⁵ laser shots. The maximum extraction voltage was designed to be 50 kV. We have already finished designing the LIS and we commenced fabrication. We intend to measure the source performance by performing plasma and beam tests up to the end of March 2011.     

c-Axis zig-zag ZnO film ultrasonic transducers for designing longitudinal and shear wave resonant frequencies and modes

A method for designing frequencies and modes in ultrasonic transducers above the very-high-frequency (VHF) range is required for ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation and acoustic mass sensors. To obtain the desired longitudinal and shear wave conversion loss characteristics in the transducer, we propose the use of a c-axis zig-zag structure consisting of multilayered c-axis 23° tilted ZnO piezoelectric films. In this structure, every layer has the same thickness, and the c-axis tilt directions in odd and even layers are symmetric with respect to the film surface normal. c-axis zig-zag crystal growth was achieved by using a SiO(2) low-temperature buffer layer. The frequency characteristics of the multilayered transducer were predicted using a transmission line model based on Mason's equivalent circuit. We experimentally demonstrated two types of transducers: those exciting longitudinal and shear waves simultaneously at the same frequency, and those exciting shear waves with suppressed longitudinal waves.     

Comparison of urinary excretion of radon from the human body before and after radon bath therapy

Theoretically, the human body absorbs radon through the lungs and the skin and excretes it through the lungs and the excretory organs during radon bath therapy. To check this theory, the radon concentrations in urine samples were compared before and after radon bath therapy. During the therapy, the geometric mean (GM) and the geometric standard deviation of the radon concentration in air and in the bath water were 979 Bq m(-3), 1.58 and 73.6 Bq dm(-3), 1.1, respectively. Since radon was detected in each urine sample (GM around 3.0 Bq dm(-3)), urinary excretion of radon was confirmed. The results of this study can neither reject nor confirm the hypothesis of radon absorption through the skin. A 15 times higher increment of inhaled radon level did not cause significant changes in radon of urine samples.     

Radical-initiator-Induced solid-state polymerization of butadiyne nanocrystals in water and their dispersion stabilization

Butadiyne nanocrystals in water are usually polymerized by UV or gamma-ray irradiation to give polydiacetylene (PDA) nanocrystals. In this study, we confirmed that solid-state polymerization of 1,6-di(N-carbazolyl)-2,4-hexadiyne (DCHD) and 5,7-dodecadiyn-1,12-diyl bis[N-(butoxycarbonyl-methyl)carbamate] (4BCMU) could be stimulated by water-soluble radical initiators. The radical initiators used were potassium peroxodisulfate, three kinds of azo-type compounds and a redox initiator. In all cases, the solid-state polymerization was confirmed by color change into blue indicating that PDA modified by the radical residues at the end was formed. However, nanocrystal cohesion occurred especially when the concentration of the initiators was high or the dispersion was kept for a long time. In order to improve the dispersion stability, two kinds of surfactants, i.e., sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DTMAC), were added to the DCHD nanocrystal aqueous dispersion. As a result, when anionic SDS was added, the solid-state polymerization of nanocrystals proceeded without coagulation and quantitative conversion was confirmed for all initiators. Cationic DTMAC has no effect on dispersion stabilization. PDA nanocrystal surfaces in water are negatively charged in nature and electric interaction of nanocrystals with the cations results in decrease of surface charge and aggregation of nanocrystals.     

NMR Study Under Pressure on the La1111 Pnictides,LaFeAsO<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>F<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>

The relationship between antiferromagnetic (AF) fluctuation and superconductivity was investigated in the La1111 series, LaFeAsO_1−x F _x (x=0.05, 0.08, and 0.14) by examining nuclear relaxation rates (1/T ₁) at both ambient pressure and 3.0 GPa. Although the AF fluctuation is enhanced by applying pressure in the underdoped regime (x=0.05, and 0.08), the increase in critical transition temperature (T _c) is small, whereas T _c increases remarkably in the overdoped regime (x=0.14) where the AF fluctuation is absent, suggesting that high T _c above 40 K originates not from the AF fluctuation but from the density of states at the electron pocket.     

Magnetic and magnetoelectric properties of self-assembled Fe₂.₅Mn₀.₅O₄ nanocrystals

We report magnetoresistance of -40%, corresponding to 80% spin polarization, at magnetic field of 0.5 T and 200 K for oleic acid-coated Fe(2.5)Mn(0.5)O(4) nanocrystals (FMO NCs) self-assembled on a SiO(2)/Si substrate by drop casting fabrication. The FMO NCs exhibited spin glass transition around 150 K and nonlinear current-voltage (I-V) characteristics. Fowler-Nordheim plot of the I-V characteristics indicated that electrons tunnel directly barriers between the FMO NCs. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the FMO NCs are elongated hexagon in shape with size of ～15 × 20 nm. The FMO NCs self-assembled in two-dimension hexagonal networks of collinear ferromagnetic moments. The [111] easy magnetization axis of each FMO NC was parallel to each other in the hexagonal arrays. Geometrically frustrated lattice of collinear ferromagnetic moments supports both a low and a high intergranular tunneling conductance for the self-assembled FMO NCs without and with magnetic fields, respectively.     

Electronic circuit using magnetic tunnel junctions with normal and inverse magnetoresistive effects

CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB‐based magnetic tunnel junctions (CoFeB‐MTJs) with the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio of 181% and Fe₄N/MgO/CoFe‐based MTJs (Fe₄N‐MTJs) with −66% TMR ratio were fabricated using a magnetron sputtering system. In this letter, we report the layout of an electronic circuit comprising both MTJs. Two independent external magnetic fields were applied to the MTJs, which worked as binary inputs as in present logic gates. The demonstrations reveal that the circuits behave like a three‐way switching device with NOR logic operation. © 2014 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Fundamental study on releasability of molded rubber from mold tool surface

In compression or injection molding of rubber products, small pieces of residual rubber often remain on the metal mold surface after releasing the product. This is caused by excessive localized adhesion to the mold surface. Therefore, cleaning of metal mold surface must be often performed, which results in longer molding cycle time, and the lifetime of metal mold is often reduced. In this study, the separation forces between molded rubber and metal mold surfaces are measured with a tensile tester to evaluate the releasability of molded rubber from the metal mold surface. Mold surfaces treated by various surface coatings and surface modification methods including EB polishing were tested and compared. Experimental results show that the separation force between molded rubber and metal mold surfaces depends on the true contact area between them and the chemical composition of the metal mold surface. The separation force decreases with a decrease in contact area. The chromium content at the metal mold surface significantly reduces the separation force. EB polishing is one of the most effective surface treatments for metal molds since the real contact area can be decreased while also decreasing the surface roughness of the tool surface in a short time. Electron beam melting is also shown to be an effective method of distributing chromium uniformly on the metal mold surface.