Cathodic performance of some sulfide electrodes in liquid ammonia

The cathodic performance of some metal sulfide electrodes has been investigated in a liquid ammonia solution of NH₄SCN. In dry liquid ammonia, the     

Development of alumina ceramics vacuum duct for the 3 GeV-RCS of the J-PARC project

An alumina ceramics vacuum duct has been developed for the 3 GeV-RCS of J-PARC project at JAERI. There are two types of alumina ceramics vacuum ducts needed, one being 1.5 m long with a circular cross-section for use in the quadrupole magnet, the other being 3.5 m long with a 15°, bend with a race-track cross-section for use in the dipole magnet. These ducts could be manufactured by joining several duct segments of 0.5-0.8 m in length by brazing. The alumina ceramic ducts have copper stripes on the outside surface to reduce the duct impedance. One of the ends of each stripe is connected to a titanium flange by way of a capacitor so to interrupt an eddy current circuit. The copper stripes are produced by an electroforming method in which a stripe pattern formed by Mo-Mn metallization is first sintered on the exterior surface and then overlaid by PR-electroformed copper (periodic current reversal electroforming method). In order to reduce emission of secondary electrons when protons or electrons strike the surface, TiN film is coated on the inside surface of the ducts.     

Surface grafting of artificial joints with a biocompatible polymer for preventing periprosthetic osteolysis

Periprosthetic osteolysis-bone loss in the vicinity of a prosthesis-is the most serious problem limiting the longevity of artificial joints. It is caused by bone-resorptive responses to wear particles originating from the articulating surface. This study investigated the effects of graft polymerization of our original biocompatible phospholipid polymer 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) onto the polyethylene surface. Mechanical studies using a hip-joint simulator revealed that the MPC grafting markedly decreased the friction and the amount of wear. Osteoclastic bone resorption induced by subperiosteal injection of particles onto mouse calvariae was abolished by the MPC grafting on particles. MPC-grafted particles were shown to be biologically inert by culture systems with respect to phagocytosis and resorptive cytokine secretion by macrophages, subsequent expression of receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand in osteoblasts, and osteoclastogenesis from bone marrow cells. From the mechanical and biological advantages, we believe that our approach will make a major improvement in artificial joints by preventing periprosthetic osteolysis.     

Congruent melting of gallium nitride at 6 GPa and its application to single-crystal growth

The synthesis of large single crystals of GaN (gallium nitride) is a matter of great importance in optoelectronic devices for blue-light-emitting diodes and lasers. Although high-quality bulk single crystals of GaN suitable for substrates are desired, the standard method of cooling its stoichiometric melt has been unsuccessful for GaN because it decomposes into Ga and N(2) at high temperatures before its melting point. Here we report that applying high pressure completely prevents the decomposition and allows the stoichiometric melting of GaN. At pressures above 6.0 GPa, congruent melting of GaN occurred at about 2,220 degrees C, and decreasing the temperature allowed the GaN melt to crystallize to the original structure, which was confirmed by in situ X-ray diffraction. Single crystals of GaN were formed by cooling the melt slowly under high pressures and were recovered at ambient conditions.