The effect of dimethylsulfoxide on the dissociation process of physical complexes of polyacrylonitrile in N,N‐dimethylformamide

The physical properties and gelation behavior of polyacrylonitrile (PAN ) solutions were investigated in mixed solvents of N ,N ‐dimethylformamide (DMF ) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO ). For the individual solubility parameters, DMSO had the polar term closer to PAN than DMF . Small‐angle X‐ray scattering profiles and Fourier transform infrared spectra of 20 wt% PAN solutions confirmed that the internal structure and intermolecular complexes between nitrile groups were broken up by the DMSO molecules. The slope of Cole–Cole plot, a measure of the solution heterogeneity, increased with the mole fraction of DMSO (X _DMSO) via three distinct zones. The homogenization was particularly noticeable in Zone 1 (0.0 < X _DMSO < 0.4) and Zone 3 (0.7 < X _DMSO < 1.0). The Huggins constant and UV‐visible absorption at 268 nm of dilute solutions decreased sharply above X _DMSO of 0.7 in Zone 3. This indicated a marked increase of PAN solubility by dissociating the intramolecular complexes between nitrile groups. In Zone 1, the storage modulus of 20 wt% PAN solutions decreased but loss modulus remained almost constant with X _DMSO at lower frequency below 1 rad s^?1, indicating the weakening of the true entanglement points of the intermolecular complexes. The mechanism indicated that the intermolecular complexes between nitrile groups were dissociated by DMSO earlier than the intramolecular ones. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

Double-gate 1T-DRAM cell using nonvolatile memory function for improved performance

We propose a double-gate (DG) 1T-DRAM cell combining SONOS type storage node on the back-gate (control-gate) for nonvolatile memory function. The cell sensing margin and retention time characteristics were systematically examined in terms of control-gate voltage (V_cg) and nonvolatile memory (NVM) function. The additional NVM function is achieved by Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling electron injection into the nitride storage node. The injected electrons induce a permanent hole accumulation layer in silicon body which improves the sensing margin and retention time characteristics. To demonstrate the effect of stored electrons in the nitride layer, experimental data are provided using 0.6 μm devices fabricated on SOI wafers.     

An EMG-based muscle force monitoring system

Information about muscle forces helps us to understand human movements more completely. Recently, studies on estimating muscle forces in real-time have been directed forward; however, the previous studies have some limitations in terms of using a three-dimensional (3D) motion capture system to obtain human movements. In the present study, an electromyography (EMG)-based real-time muscle force estimation system, which is available for a variety of potential applications, was introduced with electrogoniometers. A pilot study was conducted by performing 3D motion analysis on ten subjects during sit-to-stand movement. EMG measurements were simultaneously performed on gastrocnemius medialis and tibialis anterior. To evaluate the developed system, the results from the developed system were compared with those from widely used commercially available off-line simulation software including a musculoskeletal model. Results showed that good correlation coefficients between muscle forces from the developed system and the off-line simulation were observed in gastrocnemius medialis (r = 0.718, p < 0.01) and tibialis anterior (r = 0.821, p < 0.01). However, muscle lengths and muscle forces were obtained with a maximum delay of about 100 ms. Further studies would be required to solve the delay limitation. The developed system yielded promising results, suggesting that it can be potentially used for the real-time diagnosis of muscle or interpretation of movements.     

Solubility parameter-based analysis of polyacrylonitrile solutions in N,N-dimethyl formamide and dimethyl sulfoxide

The physical properties of the solutions of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) in N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) were characterized in terms of solubility parameter. The physical properties were largely determined by individual solubility parameters, particularly the polar term, rather than overall solubility parameter. With increasing temperature, the intrinsic viscosity and hydrodynamic diameter of dilute solutions were decreased but the dynamic viscosity (η′) of concentrated solutions was increased. Of the two solvents, these phenomena were more pronounced with DMF; DMF gave greater η′ and yield stress than DMSO. When the polymer solutions were dried at 25 °C DMSO generated a cocontinuous structure whereas DMF produced a dispersed morphology. In addition, DMF dissolved PAN faster than DMSO, and the dissolution process followed a mechanism analogous to S_N2 reaction.     

Numerical simulation of water flow in an axial flow pump with adjustable guide vanes

A new adjustable guide vane (AGV) is proposed in this paper. This vane can reduce hydraulic losses and improve the performance of an axial flow pump. The formula of AGV adjustment was obtained after theoretical analysis. The fluid flow inside the axial flow pump with a fixed guide vane and adjustable guide vane was simulated. The calculated Q-H curves for the fixed guide vane agreed well with the experimental ones. The results show that the attack angle and flow separation have an important contribution to the vortices which create hydraulic losses in the guide vane channel. The AGV can decrease hydraulic losses and significantly enhance the pump head and efficiency by changing the guide vane angle.     

Depletion-All-Around Operation of the SOI Four-Gate Transistor

In the silicon-on-insulator four-gate transistors (G⁴-FETs), the conducting channel can be surrounded by depletion regions induced by independent vertical metal-oxide-semiconductor gates and lateral JFET gates. This unique conduction mechanism named depletion-all-around (DAA) enables majority carriers to flow in the volume of the silicon film far from the silicon/oxide interfaces. Especially when the interfaces are driven to inversion, the control of the lateral JFET gates on the conduction is maximized, while the sensitivity of the volume channel to the oxide and interface defects is minimized. This leads to excellent analog performance, low noise, and reduced sensitivity to ionizing radiation. The G⁴-FET properties in DAA mode are presented from multiple perspectives: experimental results, 3-D device simulations, and analytical modeling     

Characteristics of biohydrogen fermentation from various substrates

The characteristics of biohydrogen production from sucrose, slurry-type piggery waste and food waste under the effects of the reactor configurations and operational pHs (6 and 9) were examined by using heat-treated anaerobic sludge as a seed biomass. When sucrose was used in the batch test, the maximum hydrogen yield was 0.12–0.13 g COD (as H₂)/g COD (1.41–1.43 mol/mol hexose) at pH 6. In contrast, 0.10–0.11 g COD (as H₂)/g COD (1.12–1.21 mol/mol hexose) hydrogen yield was achieved from the reactor at pH 9. On the other hand, hydrogen production was not observed in the continuous sequencing batch mode fermenters fed with sucrose. Profile analysis at each cycle revealed hydrogen production at the initial operation periods but eventually only methane at 36 days. When slurry-type piggery waste was used as the substrate, the upflow elutriation-type fermenters produced methane but not hydrogen after 30 days operation. The fermentation intermediate profile showed that the hydrogen produced might have been consumed by homoacetogenic or propionate producing reactions, and eventually converted into methane by acetoclastic methanogens. The downflow leaching bed fermenters using food waste produced 0.013 L H₂/g volatile solids (VS) (0.0061 g COD (as H₂)/g COD) at pH 6 with 54% VS reduction whereas 0.0041 L H₂/g VS (0.0020 g COD (as H₂)/g COD) was produced at pH 9 with 86% VS reduction. The results show that the hydrogen produced should be released rapidly from the reactor before it can be consumed in other biochemical reactions, and substrates with high pH level (>9.0) can be used directly to produce hydrogen without needing to adjust the pH.     

Defect localization induced by hot carrier injection in short-channel MOSFETs: Concept, modeling and characterization

Key aspects related to the localization of the hot-carrier induced damage in short channel MOSFET's are reviewed. Emphasis is put on the analysis, modeling and characterization of the degradation of device parameters caused by defects created locally beside the drain junction. Numerical simulations as well as analytical models predicting the post-stress performance are presented, compared and their limits of validity highlighted. Relevant experimental results, concerning the evolution of the static characteristics I_D(V_G, V_D) during transistor aging, are thoroughly discussed and efficient methods for the extraction of the defective region parameters are proposed. More specific techniques (charge pumping, noise spectroscopy, floating gate current, gated diode leakage), used for the characterization of aging induced defects, are evaluated from the point of view of their capability to cope with the localized nature of the defects. The merits of silicon on insulator structures and other technological solutions proposed for the attenuation of hot carrier effects are briefly commented.     

A Location-Routing Problem in Designing Optical Internet Access with WDM Systems

In this paper, we deal with a location-routing problem in designing the optical Internet with WDM systems. This problem arises from the design of broadband local access networks that deliver high-speed access service to residential subscribers. The problem is to find an optimal location of the gateway and optimal routing of traffic demands in the optical access network. We develop mixed-integer programming models for solving the location-routing problem to minimize the total cost of network elements used in the network while carrying the offered traffic. By exploiting the inherent structure of the problem, we derive two effective tabu search procedures. We present promising computational results of the proposed solution procedures.     

Electron trapping in irradiated SIMOX buried oxides

Presented are new results of X-ray exposure of silicon-on-insulator devices fabricated on SIMOX (separation by implantation of oxygen) substrates. It is shown that the presence of numerous electron traps in the buried oxide may dominate the back-gate threshold voltage shift of strongly irradiated SIMOX transistors. A rebound effect occurs under a negative oxide field, due to the trapping of negative charges rather than to interface states generation. Irradiated transistors also show an increased sensitivity to hot-carrier effects