Preparation of micrometer‐sized,monodisperse, magnetic polymer particles

Micrometer‐sized, monodisperse, magnetic composite particles were prepared by heating micrometer‐sized, monodisperse, hollow polystyrene/polydivinylbenzene composite polymer particles at 200°C for 4 h (particles had been dipped in pentacarbonyliron) and then washed in 12 N HCl and water. The hollow polymer particles were produced by seeded polymerization by the dynamic swelling method that was proposed by authors. The magnetic composite particles contained Fe₃O₄, the content of which was 49% based on total weight, and were attracted easily in water by a 1650 G magnet. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 428–433, 2003     

Robust scene recognition using a GA and real-world raw-image

This paper presents a new concept of scene recognition by a genetic algorithm (GA), using the 2-D gray-scale image of a working space, termed here as raw-image, and a model shaping the 2-D top-surface of a target object. In fact here, the problem of object recognition in the raw-image is changed into an optimization problem of a model-based evaluation function. We make use in this research of a GA, as a search and optimization method. This GA employs a model-based fitness function as its objective function to perform the search of a target in the raw-image. In this research, three object models, namely a frame model, a surface model, and a surface-strips model are investigated in order to determine which one is the best for scene recognition in a noisy environment. Also, in order to appraise the recognition performance of each model, a comparative study is performed by analyzing the answers to the following criteria questions: sensitivity, reliability, and speed. The effectiveness of the method has been verified through experiments using real-world raw-images, and the method has shown its robustness of object recognition with the surface-strips model, in spite of the noises in the scene.     

Rapid Reconstitution of Biosynthetic Machinery for Fungal Metabolites in Aspergillus oryzae: Total Biosynthesis of Aflatrem

Reconstitution of the biosynthetic machinery for fungal secondary metabolites in Aspergillus oryzae provides an opportunity both for stepwise determination of the biosynthetic pathways and the total biosynthesis of fungal natural products. However, to maximize the utility of the reconstitution system, a simple and rapid strategy for the introduction of heterologous genes into A. oryzae is required. In this study, we demonstrated an effective method for introducing multiple genes involved in the biosynthesis of fungal metabolites by using the expression vectors pUARA2 and pUSA2, each of which contains two cloning sites. The successful introduction of all the aflatrem biosynthetic genes (seven genes in total) after two rounds of transformation enabled the total biosynthesis of aflatrem. This rapid reconstitution strategy will facilitate the functional analysis of the biosynthetic machinery of fungal metabolites.     

Pre-strain effect of on fracture performance of high-strength steel welds

Fracture toughness of pre-strain effect was determined as a function of the temperature in structural steels of the 600 to 780 MPa class. Cyclic loading during earthquakes produces pre-strain in the component, which is enhanced at the region of strain concentration. During the Kobe Great Earthquake in 1995 in Japan, 10 to 15 % pre-strain was recorded at the beam-to-column connection. The relationship between critical CTOD and CGHAZ length was sampled by fatigue pre-crack for pre-strained HAZ, which is a significant decrease compared to that of the base metal. Furthermore, the effect of pre-strain is discussed in terms of the CTOD and Charpy impact energy of the local brittle zone.     

Intense white photoluminescence in ZnO thin film formed by anodization

Intense white photoluminescence (PL) at room temperature has been observed in ZnO thin films formed by anodization at 26? C. The PL depends on the preparation conditions of the films. The PL is attributed to radiative recombination between localized electrons and holes in gap states which are formed by native defects in the films. We suggest that the anodized ZnO films might be useful for optoelectronic devices, since the low temperature anodization process used is inexpensive and fast.     

Approximate cutting pattern optimization of frame-supported and pneumatic membrane structures

International Journal of Mechanics and Materials in Design - A simple iterative method is presented for cutting pattern optimization of frame-supported and pneumatic membrane structures for...     

Preparation of Al-doped ZnO transparent electrodes suitable for thin-film solar cell applications by various types of magnetron sputtering depositions

In order to determine the influence of different types of magnetron sputtering (MS) depositions on the characteristics of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films appropriate for applications as transparent electrodes in thin-film solar cells, transparent conducting AZO thin films were prepared on glass substrates at 200 °C by direct current (dc) magnetron sputtering (dc-MS), radio frequency (rf)-MS and rf power superimposed dc-MS (rf + dc-MS) depositions using an MS apparatus with the same AZO target. AZO thin films prepared by an rf + dc-MS deposition exhibited both a higher deposition rate than that found with rf-MS depositions and a lower resistivity or higher Hall mobility than those found with dc-MS. The lower dc sputter voltage featured in rf-MS and rf ± dc-MS depositions, producing smoother surface morphology and better crystallinity than obtained with dc-MS depositions. The light scattering characteristics of surface-textured AZO thin films prepared by various types of MS depositions were evaluated by observing the surface texture and measuring the optical transmittance and the diffusive component; wet-chemical etching of the thin film surface was performed in a 0.1% HCl solution. The obtainable haze property in the range from visible to near infrared in AZO films prepared by an rf + dc-MS deposition was markedly better than that obtained with dc-MS depositions.     

Effect of spatial relationship between arc plasma and substrate on the properties of transparent conducting Ga-doped ZnO thin films prepared by vacuum arc plasma evaporation

The effect of the spatial relationship between the arc plasma flow and the substrate surface on the resulting film thickness and electrical properties is investigated in transparent conducting Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) thin films deposited by a vacuum arc plasma evaporation (VAPE) method. It was found that the resulting electrical properties of GZO thin films produced by a VAPE deposition on a fixed substrate were considerably dependent on both the film thickness and the location on the substrate surface, extending from the area nearest the arc plasma source to that at the opposite end of the substrate in a direction parallel to the arc plasma flow; with GZO thin films deposited with various thicknesses in the range from 20 to 200 nm, the films exhibited a thickness dependence of resistivity that was considerably affected by the location on the substrate surface. The variation of resistivity relative to the location on the substrate surface was related to that of carrier concentration, which is mainly attributed to the distribution of the amount of oxygen reaching the substrate surface. In GZO thin films deposited with a thickness of 30-40 nm at a substrate temperature of 250 °C, a resistivity as low as 4 × 10^− 4 Ω cm was obtained in the area of the substrate nearest the arc plasma source.     

Supercritical hydrothermal synthesis and in situ organic modification of indium tin oxide nanoparticles using continuous-flow reaction system

ITO nanoparticles were synthesized hydrothermally and surface modified in supercritical water using a continuous flow reaction system. The organic modification of the nanoparticles converted the surface from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, making the modified nanoparticles easily dispersible in organic solvent. The addition of a surface modifier into the reaction system impacted the crystal growth and particle size as well as dispersion. The particle size was 18 nm. Highly crystalline cubic ITO with a narrow particle size distribution was obtained. The advantages of short reaction time and the use of a continuous reaction system make this method suitable for industrial scale synthesis.