Study of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of ZnO films by non-thermal plasma jet at atmospheric pressure

Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using a non-thermal plasma jet was applied to deposition of ZnO films. Using vaporized bis(octane-2,4-dionato)zinc flow crossed by the plasma jet, the deposition rate was as high as several tens of nm/s. From the results of infrared spectra, the films deposited at the substrate temperature T_sub = 100 °C contained a significant amount of carbon residue, while the films prepared at T_sub = 250 °C showed less carbon fraction. The experimental results confirmed that the plasma jet decomposed bis(octane-2,4-dionato)zinc in the gaseous phase and on the substrate, and that there should be the critical T_sub to form high-quality ZnO films in the range from 100 to 250 °C.     

Polymerized ionic liquids with guanidinium cations as host for gel polymer electrolytes in lithium metal batteries

Polymerized ionic liquids (PILs) having guanidinium cations with different counter‐anions, such as PF₆^? and N(CF₃SO₂)₂^? (TFSI^?), were synthesized by copolymerization of a guanidinium ionic liquid monomer with methyl acrylate followed by an anion exchange reaction. Furthermore, incorporating a guanidinium ionic liquid, LiTFSI salt and nano‐size SiO₂, a quaternary gel polymer electrolyte based on one of the PILs as the polymer host was prepared. The quaternary gel polymer electrolyte was chemically stable even at a higher temperature of 80 °C in contact with the lithium anode. In particular, the electrolyte exhibited high lithium ion conductivity, wide electrochemical stability window and good lithium stripping/plating performance. Li/LiFePO₄ batteries with the quaternary gel polymer electrolyte at 80 °C had capacities of 140 and 130 mA h g^?1 respectively at 0.1 and 0.2 C current rates. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Magnetic field detection for current evaluation by magnetic force microscopy

A current measurement method through magnetic field detection by magnetic force microscopy was proposed and demonstrated. We observed the magnetic field induced by an AC below 2.2 μA around a GaAs/AlGaAs mesa stripe. To achieve high sensitivity in magnetic field detection, we tuned the AC bias frequency to the torsional resonant frequency of the cantilever. As a result, the sensitivity of the magnetic field detection was much improved and specific features of the magnetic field around the mesa stripe were clearly observed at a current in sub-μA range.     

Strength and ductility evaluation of steel bridge piers with linearly tapered plates

Important issues on the application of linearly tapered steel plates to highway bridge piers are discussed in this paper based on extensive experimental work. The factors that affect the seismic resisting performance of tapered plate steel columns were examined. The main factors considered are: (1) types of tapering mold line (outer, central, and inside tapering); (2) tapering ratio (or the slope of thickness change); (3) stiffeners’ rigidity; and (4) tapered stiffeners. To this end, four groups of specimens were tested under cyclic lateral loads and constant axial load. The columns with the outside taper plates were found to have the best strength and ductility characteristics among the three types of mold lines. In the case of different tapering ratios, the largest ductility was observed in the specimens with the tapering ratio slightly less than or equal to unity. The stiffeners’ rigidity ratio of around 3.0 was found to give the best ductility performance in columns with both constant thickness and varying thickness stiffeners. The test results were compared with a recently proposed design equation for limit strain of box columns with tapered plates. Finally, finite element analyses were performed and comparisons between the test and the analyses’ results of several test specimens are presented.     

A numerical investigation of evaporation characteristics of a fuel droplet suspended from a thermocouple

Numerical simulations of combined natural convection–conduction in a droplet of n-dodecane suspended from a thermocouple were carried out, taking into consideration evaporation, and the effect of thermocouple diameter on the evaporation characteristics was investigated. The calculated temperature history of the droplet is in good agreement with experimental results; both show that the rate of heating decreases with increasing thermocouple diameter. The maximum error in temperature due to the thermocouple increases linearly with increasing thermocouple diameter. Thus, in investigations involving a droplet suspended from a thermocouple, it is preferable to use a thermocouple with the smallest possible diameter.     

Fast-switching-speed,low-forward-voltage-drop static induction (SI) thyristor

A static induction (SI) thyristor using a normally-off planar-gate structure in a low power class has been developed to be used as a power switching device in a three-phase inverter circuit. A 600 V-15 A class SI thyristor with very fast switching time (tgt, tgq) and low forward voltage drop (V_TM) was designed and created. This design was performed with a reasonable wafer structure (n^?/n/p⁺), an n^? base carrier concentration and thickness, and a gate structure (gate diffusion length and gate-gate pitch). Microscopic processing was used to obtain this SI thyristor. The performance trade-off between turn-off time and forward voltage drop is controlled by a lifetime control process using proton irradiation that results in a very fast switching time with tgt of 500 ns and tgq of 500 ns with V_TM of 1.5 V (at I_T= 18 A). At a current level of I_T = 18 A, the current density in the active area becomes 200 A/cm², which indicates that the performance of the SI thyristor is superior to that of conventional IGBTs and MOSFETs.     

Stimulation of fatty acid synthesis by 4β-phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate in isolated rat hepatocytes

The tumor-promoting agent 4β-phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (TPA) is shown to be a potent stimulator of fatty acid synthesis in isolated rat hepatocytes. The maximal effect of TPA is seen at 10⁻⁶ M, and the concentration for half-maximal effect is ca. 10⁻⁸ M. Stimulation of fatty acid synthesis by TPA is shown not to require the presence of extracellular Ca⁺⁺. TPA produces a significant increase in lactate and pyruvate accumulation. The possible involvement of protein kinase C in short-term regulation of fatty acid synthesis in the liver is discussed.     

Expression of erythroid-specific genes in acute megakaryoblastic leukaemia and transient myeloproliferative disorder in Down's syndrome

Acute megakaryoblastic leukaemia (M7) and transient myeloproliferative disorder in Down's syndrome (TMD) are characterized by rapid growth of abnormal blast cells which express megakaryocytic markers. To clarify properties of the blast cells in M7 and TMD cases, we examined erythroid markers expression in blasts from six cases with M7 and seven cases with TMD in this study. Erythroid-specific mRNAs encoding gamma-globin and erythroid delta-aminolevulinate synthase were found to be expressed in blasts from most of these cases, indicating that majorities of the blasts in M7 and TMD cases have erythroid and megakaryocytic phenotypes. We also found that mRNAs encoding GATA-1 and GATA-2 are expressed in all these cases. These results suggest that M7 blasts and TMD blasts correspond to the erythroid/megakaryocytic bipotential progenitor cells.     

Structural design of high temperature metallic components

In the high temperature engineering test reactor (HTTR), even at normal operation the service temperatures of class 1 metallic components reach temperatures above 900 °C when exposed to primary helium coolant of 950 °C. For these components, Hastelloy XR, which is the improved version of Hastelloy X, was developed and used for high temperature application.Some of the high temperature materials and their service temperatures, including Hastelloy XR, used for the class 1 and reactor internal metallic components of the HTTR are very well beyond the well-established Japanese elevated temperature structural design guideline. Moreover, at very high temperatures, where creep deformation is significant, the component design based on elastic analysis is impossible. Therefore, many research works on structural mechanics behavior were carried out to establish a high temperature structural design guideline and creep analysis methods. This paper reviews structural design of the high temperature components for the HTTR made of Hastelloy XR, 2 1/4Cr–1Mo steel, austenitic stainless steels SUS321TB and SUS316, and 1Cr–0.5Mo–V steel.