Mechanical properties of Al2O3-doped (2 wt.%) ZnO films

We report a new method of evaluating the adhesion of Al₂O₃-doped (2 wt.%) ZnO (AZO) thin films. The AZO films were deposited by DC reactive magnetron sputtering on plastic film (PET: polyethyleneterephthalate) at various sputtering pressures, power, and reactive gas-flow ratios. The adhesion test of the films was carried out using the nanoindentation system. The fracture point as determined by the load-displacement curve occurred at the time of separation between the thin film and the substrate. The integration value of load and displacement to the fracture point is defined as the degree of adhesion (S_W). The AZO films showed that adhesion increase as sputtering power increases and sputtering pressure decreases.     

A 50 GHz GaAs FET MIC transmitter/receiver using hermetic miniatureprobe transitions

A very compact 50-GHz-band transmitter/receiver for a video link is described. The RF assemblies used in the system consist of 25/50-GHz frequency doublers, a 25-GHz dielectric-resonator oscillator, and a 25-GHz FM modulator. The circuits make extensive use of microwave integrated circuit (MIC) technology with all GaAs FETs as active elements. The frequency doublers exhibit a minimum conversion loss of 2.6 dB and a maximum output power of 11 dBm. The modulator is highly frequency stabilized by the dielectric resonator. Recently developed miniature probe microstrip-to-waveguide transitions permit the MIC assemblies to be installed compactly in hermetically sealed packages. Design considerations and experimental data for the transition are presented. Using these technologies a transmitting power of 10 dBm and a receiver noise figure of 13 dB have been obtained     

New bleeding model of additives in a polypropylene film under atmospheric pressure II

Many additives are commercially used to add more favorable qualities to films. The bleeding process by which the additive in a film comes to the surface is considered. A new bleeding model of additives in a polypropylene film under atmospheric pressure was investigated. Solubility and diffusion are found to be important for explaining this bleeding process. It was found that the experimental results were explained more precisely by assuming a two‐step transport process between the crystalline regions and the amorphous ones. The solubilities and diffusion coefficients of UV‐stabilizers such as 2‐(2H‐benzotriazol‐2‐yl)‐4‐(1,1,3,3‐tetramethylbutyl)phenol and 2‐(2H‐benzotriazol‐2‐yl)‐4‐methylphenol were determined at 40°C. The difference between the saturation solubilities and the diffusion coefficients of UV‐stabilizers was discussed by comparing with the results of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Compositing 3D images with antialiasing and various shading effects

A method is proposed for compositing 3-D images produced by different programs, taking depth order into consideration. The method can add the following effects to composited images: antialiased images with scaling are displayed by a simple algorithm; the algorithm can add shading effects due to various types of light, such as area sources and skylight; and ray tracing can be performed in localized regions, producing realistic results without the computational expense of ray tracing the whole image. In addition to the above processes, such shading effects as fog and texture mapping can be processed with conventional methods. Thus, it becomes possible to display complex scenes with various shading effects, using relatively small computers. The multiscanning method used for antialiasing and a data structure for processing it are described. Examples are presented to demonstrate the capability of the system     

Experimental analysis for extrusion screw geometry to produce highly transparent polypropylene sheets

The observation was experimentally conducted by using many screws with various geometries to obtain a highly transparent polypropylene melt resin sheet. The pressure distribution in the extruder, melt temperature profile across melt flow, the extruder throughput and the specific energy consumption were monitored. In a preliminary evaluation, transparent melt web was obtained in a simple straight channel depth screw and a straight channel depth screw with a torpedo type barrier section. The transparency of melted resin sheet was obtained by the screw geometry so that the specific energy consumption was small and the melted temperature was low. Based on these results and taking a wide applicability for a large size extruder of the production machine into consideration, the screw of gently tapered compression with a torpedo type barrier section was selected as the basic design of the screw geometry to satisfy both the transparency and the extrusion stability. The screw geometry optimization was conducted using the analysis of melting performance by the cooling experiment and the pressure pattern. As a result, the screw geometry to satisfy a low external haze and an extrusion stability under higher throughput conditions was designed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Design and Analysis of Vertical Split Ring Resonator and Its Application to Unbalanced–Balanced Filter

We present a design method and analysis for a vertical split ring resonator (SRR). Furthermore, we propose an unbalanced–balanced filter using vertical SRRs. First, we explain vertical SRR with a stepped impedance resonator (SIR) using virtual ground. The resonance frequency is theoretically derived based on asymmetric coupled transmission lines. The resonance frequencies of vertical SRRs, calculated by our derived equation, are in good agreement with those of 3-D simulations and measurements. Next, this resonator is applied to an unbalanced–balanced filter based on low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC). The attenuation poles of this filter are controlled by coupling between high-impedance lines similar to a two-pole filter with a SIR. The dimensions of the measured filter implemented with LTCC are 2.0 $times$ 1.2 $times$ 0.60 mm. The insertion loss is 2.80 dB in a 2.4-GHz band. Good agreement between measured and computed results is obtained.      

Congener-specific carbon isotopic analysis of technical PCB and PCN mixtures using two-dimensional gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry

Analysis of stable carbon isotope fractionation is a useful method to study the sources and fate of anthropogenic organic contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the environment. To evaluate the utility of carbon isotopes, determination of isotopic ratios of 13C/12C in source materials, for example, technical PCB preparations, is needed. In this study, we determined delta13C values of 31 chlorobiphenyl (CB) congeners in 18 technical PCB preparations and 15 chloronaphthalene (CN) congeners in 6 polychlorinated naphthalene preparations using two-dimensional gas chromatography-combustion furnace-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (2DGC-C-IRMS). Development of 2DGC-IRMS enabled improved resolution and sensitivity of compound-specific carbon isotope analysis (CSIA) of CB or CN congeners. Delta13C values of PCB congeners ranged from -34.4 (Delors) to -22.0/1000 (Sovol). Analogous PCB preparations with similar chlorine content, but different geographical origin, had different delta13C values. PCB preparations from Eastern European countries--Delors, Sovol, Trichlorodiphenyl, and Chlorofen--had distinct delta13C values. PCB mixtures showed increased 13C depletion with increasing chlorine content. Delta13C values for individual CB congeners varied depending on the degree of chlorination in technical mixtures. Delta13C values of CN congeners in Halowaxes ranged from -26.3 to -21.7/1000 and these values are within the ranges observed for PCBs. This study establishes the range of delta13C values in technical PCB and PCN preparations, which may prove to be useful in the determination of sources of these compounds in the environment. This is the first study to employ 2DGC-IRMS analysis of delta13C values in technical PCB and PCN preparations.     

Super environment-friendly electrodeposition paint

Super low VOC due to new composition/reaction mechanism can minimize the environmental risk as it does not contain lead and tin, hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and endocrine disrupters (EPA/67 items, SPEED’98/JEA/67 items) currently specified as contaminants. New EAD (electrolyzed activate deposition paint) is not the only conventional cure agent or solvent, but also the super low VOC, HAPs materials and endocrine disrupters. The electric energy used by EAD is utilized for the reaction but not for the deposition. EAD consists of two technologies. One is propargyl group change to the allene by using electrodeposition. Propargyl group is stable, but allene group is highly polymerizing. As a result, EAD had high bath stability. The other is sulfonium change to sulfide by using electrodeposition. This sulfonium salt is lost as a result of the electrolytic reduction, and hence can be irreversibly rendered non-conductive. As a result, EAD showed high throwing power.     

Arraying needle-like TiO2 particles in a composite film by applying ac bias and its transmittance anisotropy

In an effort to improve energy-efficient windows, we experimented with a precursor slurry composite by using needle-like TiO₂ particles as the filler in a urethane matrix. Applying dc bias to the slurry failed to array the needle-like particles in the composite and to deposit on the film surface because of electrophoretic movement. However, applying ac bias of ±5 V to the precursor slurry composite for 12 h resulted in the needle-like TiO₂ particles being arrayed in the composite in a direction normal to the film surface. This resulted in an improvement in the energy efficiency of the material through an angular dependence of transmittance in the visible–near-infrared range.