Interfacial interaction and mechanical properties of chitin whisker–poly(vinyl alcohol) gel‐spun nanocomposite fibers

Nanocomposite fibers were prepared from chitin whiskers (ChWs) as the reinforcing phase and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as the matrix. Colloidal suspensions of ChWs, obtained by acid hydrolysis of chitin from crab shell, were thoroughly mixed with aqueous PVA. The homogeneous PVA–ChW suspensions were gel‐spun into a methanol coagulating bath. Wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction patterns evidenced the orientation of ChWs along the fiber axis. From differential scanning calorimetry, the crystallinity of the PVA component was found to increase with ChW loading due to the possible dragging of PVA chains adhering to ChWs during vertical extrusion. The non‐isothermal crystallization peak of PVA was observed to shift to lower temperature with ChW loading indicating interfacial interactions between PVA and ChW. Further interaction between PVA and ChW was evidenced by the shifting of the Fourier transform infrared bands of PVA to lower wavenumber and the dynamic tan δ peak, corresponding to α‐relaxation of PVA, shifting to higher temperature. The interaction of ChWs with the matrix PVA yielded a significant enhancement in the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

A New Simple Model of Direct Spectral Irradiance with Easily Observable Atmospheric Parameters

Direct irradiance and direct spectral irradiance were measured for 16 months along with other basic atmospheric parameters. The direct irradiance changed smoothly on a clear day and fluctuated on a fair day. Then, we considered the possibility of a new, simple model of direct spectral irradiance expressed with fewer atmospheric parameters and applicable for even fair days. This new model, called DISPEC, can calculate the direct spectral irradiance from basic atmospheric parameters for wavelengths >400 nm. In DISPEC, the ozone absorption was ignored and the thin cloud effect was taken into account as a new parameter, which was considered to be proportional to the direct irradiance, instead of aerosol parameters. The performance of DISPEC was then compared with that of a well‐known model of SPCTRAL2. Although the calculation results by SPCTRAL2 exhibited considerable error, especially in visible wavelength range on a fair day, those calculated using DISPEC showed good agreement with observed data on both clear and fair days. © 2010 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Real-time PCR detection of adenoviruses, polyomaviruses, and torque teno viruses in river water in Japan

The prevalence of DNA viruses in water from the Tamagawa River, Japan was quantitatively surveyed for 6 months, from April to September 2003. A total of 18 river water samples were subjected to virus concentration method using an electronegative membrane, followed by DNA extraction and direct quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for DNA viruses. Adenoviruses of serotypes 40 and 41 were detected most frequently in the river water samples tested (61.1%), at a concentration ranging from 3.16 × 10³ to 1.38 × 10⁵ copies/l, followed by JC polyomaviruses (11.1%) and torque teno viruses (5.6%). No sample was positive for BK polyomaviruses. In addition, for selective detection of virus particles, adenoviruses 40 and 41 were tested with qPCR combined with an immunomagnetic separation technique; they were detected in only 16.7% of the samples, showing a concentration ranging from 7.42 × 10² to 4.24 × 10⁴ copies/l. This study is significant since it is the first study to demonstrate the prevalence of polyomaviruses in water samples in Japan and to use immunomagnetic separation qPCR to detect adenovirus particles in aquatic environments.     

The electrochemical property of acetylene black suspension solution with ozone bubbling and its effects on copper dissolution

The electrochemical properties of acetylene black suspension solutions containing sulfuric and hydrochloric acid were investigated both with and without ozone bubbling. It was found that the potential of the acetylene black suspension solution on Pt electrode increased with ozone bubbling. In 2.5 kg/m³ acetylene black suspension solutions with 0.5 kmol/m³ H₂SO₄ or 1 kmol/m³ HCl, the potential was maintained at more than 1.1 V (vs normal hydrogen electrode) for over 1 hour after the ozone bubbling was stopped. In contrast, the solution potentials on Pt electrode reduced to the original value that is less than 0.8 V in 0.5 kmol/m³ H₂SO₄ or 1 kmol/m³ HCl solution without acetylene black particles, in a short period of time. This phenomenon may result from the formation of extra surface functional groups on the acetylene black particles, which have been oxidized by the ozone. The potential of the acetylene black suspension solution with 0.5 kmol/m³ H₂SO₄ on Pt electrode was found to decrease with increasing temperature and pH, regardless of the amount of acetylene black. The behaviors of copper dissolution in the acetylene black suspension solution containing 0.5 kmol/m³ H₂SO₄ with ozone bubbling have also been investigated. It was found that copper dissolves much faster in the solution with acetylene black particles than without them. In addition to this, the rate of copper dissolution was found to increase with the concentration of acetylene black and the temperature below 60 °C, but decreased with an increase in pH. The copper dissolution in the suspension solution with ozone bubbling appears to proceed under chemical reaction control for these conditions.     

Effect of Nozzle Type and Swirl on Flow Pattern for Initial Filling Conditions in the Mould for Up‐hill Teeming

With increasingly more stringent requirements on steel quality and productivity in uphill teeming production, it is vital to attain more desirable fluid flow conditions in the filling of the mould. In this investigation, physical and mathematical modelling was carried out to study the effects of nozzle type and utilization of a swirl generator in the inlet nozzle on the flow pattern in the ingot mould during the initial filling period. Specific focus was on the effects on the resultant hump and axial velocities. Three cases were considered: 1) a straight nozzle, 2) a divergent nozzle, and 3) a divergent nozzle combined with a swirl generator. It was found that usage of the divergent nozzle, compared to the straight nozzle, resulted in a smaller hump and lower axial velocities in the bath. For the combination of divergent nozzle and swirl generator, these findings were even more pronounced, with the hump practically eliminated, and the axial velocities, as well as the turbulence at the meniscus, significantly lower. The findings of the study suggest that a divergent nozzle combined with a swirling flow generated in the nozzle could be used in the up‐hill teeming process in purpose to get calmer initial filling conditions.     

Multiple calibration decomposition analysis: Energy use and carbon dioxide emissions in the Japanese economy, 1970–1995

The purpose of this paper is to present a new approach to evaluating structural change of the economy in a multisector general equilibrium framework. The multiple calibration technique is applied to an ex post decomposition analysis of structural change between periods, enabling the distinction between price substitution and technological change to be made for each sector. This approach has the advantage of sounder microtheoretical underpinnings when compared with conventional decomposition methods. The proposed technique is empirically applied to changes in energy use and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in the Japanese economy from 1970 to 1995. The results show that technological change is of great importance for curtailing energy use and CO₂ emissions in Japan. Total CO₂ emissions increased during this period primarily because of economic growth, which is represented by final demand effects. On the other hand, the effects such as technological change for labor or energy mitigated the increase in CO₂ emissions.     

Diagnostics of Rovibrational Distribution of H2 in Low Temperature Plasmas by Fulcher-α band Spectroscopy - on the Reaction Ratesand Transition Probabilities

A novel fitting procedure is proposed for a better determination of H2 rovibrational distribution from the Fulcher-α band spectroscopy. We have recalculated the transition probabilities and the results show that they deviate from Franck-Condon approximation especially for the non-diagonal transitions. We also calculated the complete sets of vibrationally resolved cross sections for electron impact d^3IIu- X^3∑g transition based on the semi-classical Gryzinski theory. An example of experimental study confirms that current approach provides a tool for a better diagnostics of H2 rovibrational distribution in electronic ground state.     

Manufacturing Method of Stable Enteric Granules of a New Antiulcer Drug (Lansoprazole)

In our previous studies, we clarified that enteric granules are an appropriate dosage form for lansoprazole, and we demonstrated that enteric granules could be produced when magnesium carbonate was added as an alkaline stabilizer.

These granules however were found to be some unstable under severe conditions because some of the excipients are incompatible with lansoprazole. We therefore attempted granulation not using these incompatible excipients and could obtain more stable enteric granules using a centrifugal fluid-bed granulator instead of an extruder-spheronizer. We also compared the absorption and dissolution properties of the enteric granules manufactured by these two methods.     

Diagnostic expert systems for defects in forged parts

This paper describes the development of a diagnostic expert system that identifies the cause of various manufacturing defects in hot forging and suggests remedies. The patterns of defect generation are various and due to many possible causes. They depend on part designs, tool designs and process conditions. Pertinent factors include part shape, the state of lubrication, location of the performed workpiece on the die and formability of the materials. This paper utilizs the theory of conditional probability to construct a diagnostic expert system that can adapt and learn its diagnostic mechanism through field data. A demonstration program, FORDIA, runs in HyperCard. FORDIA takes the part defect symptoms, uses conditional probability theory to identify possible causes and suggests remedies.     

UPIOM: a new tool of MFA and its application to the flow of iron and steel associated with car production

Identification of the flow of materials and substances associated with a product system provides useful information for Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), and contributes to extending the scope of complementarity between LCA and Materials Flow Analysis/Substances Flow Analysis (MFA/SFA), the two major tools of industrial ecology. This paper proposes a new methodology based on input-output analysis for identifying the physical input-output flow of individual materials that is associated with the production of a unit of given product, the unit physical input-output by materials (UPIOM). While the Sankey diagram has been a standard tool for the visualization of MFA/SFA, with an increase in the complexity of the flows under consideration, which will be the case when economy-wide intersectoral flows of materials are involved, the Sankey diagram may become too complex for effective visualization. An alternative way to visually represent material flows is proposed which makes use of triangulation of the flow matrix based on degrees of fabrication. The proposed methodology is applied to the flow of pig iron and iron and steel scrap that are associated with the production of a passenger car in Japan. Its usefulness to identify a specific MFA pattern from the original IO table is demonstrated.