Development of lateral displacement sensor for real‐time detection of structural damage

We have developed a novel sensor that enables us to measure the relative story displacement of a building structure in real time. This lateral displacement sensor (LDS) is composed of a light‐emitting diode (LED) array, which is fixed on the ceiling, and a position‐sensitive detector (PSD) unit, which is placed on the floor. We optimized the LDS to achieve high accuracy in lateral displacement measurement. The accuracy was evaluated to be 60 µm by conducting shaking table tests. Two LDSs were implemented in an actual building equipped with an active variable stiffness (AVS) system, and the building was vibrated with seismic waveforms by an exciter placed on the rooftop. The seismic displacement of the second floor relative to the first floor was measured using the LDS. Furthermore, the inclination angle of the second floor could be measured using the LDS during the seismic vibration. Using the AVS system, we realized the residual displacement of the second floor without inducing damage to the building, and succeeded in real‐time residual displacement measurement for the first time. These results indicate that the LDS is useful for the health diagnosis of a building structure. © 2011 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Development of diamond-like carbon fibre wheel

The first author invented a unique diamond-like carbon (DLC) grinding wheel, in which the DLC fibres were made by rolling Al sheets coated with DLC films and aligned normally to the grinding wheel surface by laminating Al sheets together with DLC fibres [K. Yamaguchi, Y. Wei, M. Takeuchi, Development of DLC fibre grinding wheel, in: Proceedings of the Vernal Meeting of the JSPE, Tokyo, 16–18 March 1999, p. 260]. In this paper, the formation process of DLC fibres and the fabrication process of a DLC fibre wheel were investigated. Many grinding experiments were also carried out on a precision NC plane milling machine using a newly developed DLC wheel. Grinding of specimens of silicon wafers, optical glasses, quartz, granites and hardened die-steel SKD11 demonstrated the capabilities to nanometer surface finish. A smooth surface with a roughness value of Ra 2.5 nm (Ry 26 nm) was achieved.     

An improved method of phosphorus analysis in sea water

A reagent for the determination of phosphorus in sea water which contains Mo(VI) plus Mo(V) may be easily prepared by the reduction of Mo(VI) with metallic zinc in acid medium. This reagent is stable in the air for several months, and the development of the molybdenum blue colour is complete in 20 min at about 100°C; the colour is stable for at least a few months. The salt error is approximately 5 per cent with sea water of chlorinity 19 per milli. The interference due to either arsenate or silicate at their concentrations in sea water is negligible.     

Scanning electron microscopic structure of the prismatic layer in the Bivalvia

The shell structure of the Bivalvia has been observed with the use of optical and electron microscopes since the early 1900’s. The prismatic structure is one of the more attractive shell structures in bivalved mollusks. This structure is composed of the aggregation of polygonal prisms arranged densely. Each prism is made of small calcite crystallites arranged perpendicular to a growth shell surface. Organic materials, named organic sheaths, accumulate around prisms and stain well with heamatoxylin-eosin. The Bivalvia, which make prismatic structures, are divided into two groups. One group has the inner shell layer made up of a nacreous structure, and the other has the inner shell layer made up of a foliated structure. The aragonite prismatic layer and the prismatic layer are closely related to each other, as is the aragonite prismatic layer to the composite prismatic one.     

Effect of Oxygen Adsorbates on Terahertz Emission Properties of Various Semiconductor Surfaces Covered with Graphene

We have studied coherent terahertz (THz) emission from graphene-coated surfaces of three different semiconductors—InP, GaAs, and InAs—to provide insight into the influence of O₂ adsorption on charge states and dynamics at the graphene/semiconductor interface. The amplitude of emitted THz radiation from graphene-coated InP was found to change significantly upon desorption of O₂ molecules by thermal annealing, while THz emission from bare InP was nearly uninfluenced by O₂ desorption. In contrast, the amount of change in the amplitude of emitted THz radiation due to O₂ desorption was essentially the same for graphene-coated GaAs and bare GaAs. However, in InAs, neither graphene coating nor O₂ adsorption/desorption affected the properties of its THz emission. These results can be explained in terms of the effects of adsorbed O₂ molecules on the different THz generation mechanisms in these semiconductors. Furthermore, these observations suggest that THz emission from graphene-coated semiconductors can be used for probing surface chemical reactions (e.g., oxidation) as well as for developing O₂ gas sensor devices.     

Four-point probe resistance measurements using PtIr-coated carbon nanotube tips

We performed four-terminal conductivity measurements on a CoSi2 nanowire (NW) at room temperature by using PtIr-coated carbon nanotube (CNT) tips in a four-tip scanning tunneling microscope. The physical stability and high aspect ratio of the CNT tips made it possible to reduce the probe spacing down to ca. 30 nm. The probe-spacing dependence of resistance showed diffusive transport even at 30 nm and no current leakage to the Si substrate.     

Classification of ground faults in distribution lines according to phase-plane trajectories of waveforms

Recently, a greater demand for stable supply of electric power has resulted from a higher standard of living. It becomes important that the causes and locations of ground faults in distribution lines be found early and defects be repaired as soon as possible. Therefore, a unit for recording the waveform I₀ of ground fault's current and the waveform V₀ of its voltage is installed in distribution substations. The establishment of a technology to distinguish fault causes automatically is being hastened. This paper presents a new classification method for ground fault waveforms, based on phase-plane trajectories for the current or voltage and their differential values. Examinations of ground fault waveforms based on real data show that the waveform of current I₀ is more suitable than that of voltage V₀ for the classification of waveforms at ground faults and that the trajectory of each of the three types of waveforms, such as sine waves, trapezoidal waves, and spikes, has all of the characteristics in its figure. It is also found from the distribution of 167 sampling points on the phase plane that any waveforms at a real ground fault may be classified into three characteristic point distributions, which gives the possibility of easy display for the classification of ground fault causes. © 1998 Scripta Technica. Electr Eng Jpn, 122(1): 8–16, 1998     

Silica-shelled single quantum dot micelles as imaging probes with dual or multimodality

The present study describes a stabilization of single quantum dot (QD) micelles by a "hydrophobic" silica precursor and an extension of a silica layer to form a silica shell around the micelle using "amphiphilic" and "hydrophilic" silica precursors. The obtained product consists of approximately 92% single nanocrystals (CdSe, CdSe/ZnS, or CdSe/ZnSe/ZnS QDs) into the silica micelles, coated with a silica shell. The thickness of the silica shell varies, starting from 3-4 nm. Increasing the shell thickness increases the photoluminescence characteristics of QDs in an aqueous solution. The silica-shelled single CdSe/ZnS QD micelles possess a comparatively high quantum yield in an aqueous solution, a controlled small size, sharp photoluminescence spectra (fwhm approximately 30 nm), an absence of aggregation, and a high transparency. The surface of the nanoparticles is amino-functionalized and ready for conjugation. A comparatively good biocompatibility is demonstrated. The nanoparticles show ability for intracellular delivery and are noncytotoxic during long-term incubation with viable cells in the absence of light exposure, which makes them appropriate for cell tracing and drug delivery. The presence of the hydrophobic layer between the QD and silica-shell ensures an incorporation of other hydrophobic molecules with interesting properties (e.g., hydrophobic paramagnetic substances, hydrophobic photosensitizers, membrane stabilizers, lipid-soluble antioxidants or prooxidants, other hydrophobic organic dyes, etc.) in the close proximity of the nanocrystal. Thus, it is possible to combine the characteristics of hybrid materials with the priority of small size. The silica-shelled single QD micelles are considered as a basis for fabrication of novel hybrid nanomaterials for industrial and life science applications, for example, nanobioprobes with dual modality for simultaneous application in different imaging techniques (e.g., fluorescent imaging and functional magnetic resonance imaging).     

The structures and gas-sorption properties of l-tyrosine films prepared by the Knudsen effusion method

l-tyrosine (L-Tyr) films with an oblique columnar structure were prepared by the Knudsen cell effusion method. The L-Tyr films were formed at a Knudsen cell temperature that was sufficiently lower than the decomposition temperature of L-Tyr. As the heating rate controlled by DC current is increased, the molecular network constructed of hydrogen bonds tends to collapse, and the film density and surface hydrophobicity tend to decrease. Higher DC currents are likely to induce a decarboxylation reaction. L-Tyr films prepared at a higher heating rate have enhanced gas sorption capabilities for a wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The sorption capabilities are particularly enhanced for linear hydrocarbons. The gas sorption characteristics for VOCs suggest that the adsorption in the vicinity of the film surface is dominant rather than diffusion into the film, which corresponds with the densified surface morphology.