Multiple evaluations of the removal of pollutants in road runoff by soil infiltration

Groundwater replenishment by infiltration of road runoff is expected to be a promising option for ensuring a sustainable urban water cycle. In this study, we performed a soil infiltration column test using artificial road runoff equivalent to approximately 11-12 years of rainfall to evaluate the removal of pollutants by using various chemical analyses and bioassay tests. These results indicated that soil infiltration treatment works effectively to remove most of the pollutants such as organic matter (chemical oxygen demand (CODMn) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC)), P species, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), numerous heavy metals and oestrogenic activities. Bioassay tests, including algal growth inhibition test, Microtox and mutagen formation potential (MFP) test, also revealed effective removal of toxicities by the soils. However, limited amounts of NO3, Mn, Ni, alkaline earth metals, perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctane sulphonamide (FOSA) were removed by the soils and they possibly reach the groundwater and cause contamination.     

Spot-size converter integrated semiconductor optical amplifiers foroptical gate applications

A spot-size converter integrated semiconductor optical amplifier (SSC-SOA) was developed as a gate element in an optical switch matrix for photonic switching applications. By a selective metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy technique, a bulk InGaAsP stripe, including an active region and thickness tapered SSCs, was grown. Wavelength composition of the stripe, strain on the stripe, and electrode coverage above the SSC region were optimized. As a result, gate operation for fiber-to-fiber gain of 0 dB was achieved at a low injection current of 30 mA, and the polarization dependence of the gain was eliminated as well     

Effects of surface treatments of superdrawn polyoxymethylene fibers on adhesion to epoxy resins

Strong adhesion in the superdrawn polyoxymethylene (POM) fiber/epoxy matrix system was achieved with surface treatments, 2H-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFP) treatment, and surface phenolation of the fiber. HFP produced micropits for mechanical interlocking with the matrix. Surface phenolation formed active layers leading to interfacial miscibility. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Effects of electron channeling in HAADF-STEM intensity in La2CuSnO6

Atomic resolution imaging using the high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) can be applied to analyze the atomic structures of materials directly. This technique provides incoherent Z-contrast with the atomic number of the constituent elements. In the present work, unique contrasts that make intuitively interpreting the HAADF-STEM image in double perovskite oxide La₂CuSnO₆ difficult were observed. Multislice simulation confirmed that this occurred as an effect of the channeling process of electrons in combination with the effect of Debye–Waller factors. This was confirmed because in the La₂CuSnO₆ crystal, two independent Sn atoms and four independent La atoms in the unit cell had different Debye–Waller factors, and the La columns consisted of pairs of columns with a small separation, whereas the Sn atoms were arranged straight.     

Effects of Some Light Alloying Elements on the Oxidation Behavior of Fe and Ni-Cr Based Alloys During Air Plasma Spraying

The oxidation behavior of iron binary powders with addition of Si (1, 4 wt.%) and B (1, 3 wt.%) and that of a Ni-Cr based alloy powder with Si (4.3 wt.%), B (3.0 wt.%), and C (0.8 wt.%) additions during atmosphere plasma spray (APS) have been investigated. Analysis of the chemical composition and phases of oxides in the captured in-flight particles and deposited coatings was carried out. The results show that the addition of Si and B to iron effectively reduced the oxygen contents in the coatings, especially during the in-flight period at higher particles temperature. Ni-Cr based alloy powder with Si, B, and C additions reduced the oxidation of the base alloys significantly. Preferential oxidation and subsequent vaporization of Si, B, and C from the surface of the sprayed particles are believed to play a major role in controlling oxidation in the APS process.     

Microfabrication of U-Shaped Grooves on the Surface of BaO–TiO2–GeO2 Glass by YAG Laser Irradiation and Selective Chemical Etching

A combination technique of Nd:YAG laser (wavelength: 1064 nm) irradiations and chemical etchings was applied to fabricate microsize U-shaped grooves on the surface of CuO-doped BaO–TiO₂–GeO₂ glass, and chemical etching behaviors were examined by using a confocal scanning laser microscope. Continuous-wave Nd:YAG lasers with a power of 0.7–0.8 W were irradiated onto the glass surface and scanned at a speed of 10 μm/s, inducing structural modified lines with refractive index changes. The chemical etching rates for the refractive index changed lines in a nitric acid solution (1 N HNO₃) were larger than those for the base glass (nonirradiated part). The etching profile was changed gradually from W-shaped to U-shaped grooves with increasing etching time. The sharp bending lines with an angle of 150° and the cross-linked lines were also smoothly etched. The U-shaped grooves with a surface covered by nonlinear optical Ba₂TiGe₂O₈ crystals were formed by the crystallization of etched samples. This study proposes that the patterning of microchannels with optical functional surfaces is possible on the glass surface using the present technique.     

Blue/DVD/CD compatible optical head

Compatibility with Digital Versatile Disc and Compact Disc has been demonstrated for two options of high-density optical disk systems using a blue laser diode. Option 1 (HD DVD) employs a 0.65 numerical aperture objective lens and a 0.6 mm thick protective layer disk, while Option 2 (Blu-ray Disc) employs a 0.85 numerical aperture objective lens and a 0.1 mm thick protective layer disk. An optical head has three laser diodes whose wavelengths are 405 nm, 660 nm, and 785 nm. A spherical aberration caused by the difference in the protective layer thickness of the disk is corrected by an objective lens magnification change, while the numerical aperture of the objective lens is controlled by a wavelength-selective aperture. Experimental results have shown that Option 1 is more preferable, but Option 2 is also acceptable from the viewpoint of the compatibility.     

Improvement of thermal stability of nitrogen doped titania photocatalyst by addition of surfactants during solvothermal treatment

The TiO_2−x N _y nanocrystals with beige color were prepared by homogeneous precipitation-solvothermal process in TiCl₃-hexamethyleneamine-alcohol solutions with the addition of various surfactants, such as sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS), n-hexadecylamine (HAD), and n-hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (HTAC) at 190 °C for 10 h. The phase composition, crystallinity, microstructure, specific surface area, nitrogen doped amount, and photocatalytic activity of titania powders greatly changed depending on pH value and other reaction conditions. The TiO_2−x N _y powders prepared by solvothermal treatment with surfactant additives followed by calcination in air at 400 °C showed smaller particle size, larger BET specific surface area and higher photocatalytic activity than those without surfactant. The TiO_2−x N _y powders showed excellent visible-light absorption, thermal stability and photocatalytic activity for nitrogen monoxide destruction under irradiation of both visible-light and UV-light irradiation. About 40% and 60% nitrogen monoxide could be continuously removed with the residence time of 1.9 min by the TiO_2−x N _y photocatalyst under irradiation of visible-light (λ > 510 nm) and UV-light (λ > 290 nm), respectively.