Cross-linking structure of keratin. IV. The number of cross-linkages in low-sulfur components and the volume fraction of high-sulfur domains in various α-keratin fibers

Various α-keratin fibers that had been treated with an 11M LiBr solution containing N-ethylmaleimide showed typical rubberlike elasticity in a solution composed of equal volumes of 8M LiBr and diethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether. Stress—strain relations of the swollen fibers were treated with a two-phase model: a mechanically stable phase of higher cross-linked domains and a rubber phase with lower cross-link density. Stress—strain curves for a variety of keratins (three different human hairs, six different wools, mohair, cashmere, llama, alpaca, angora, and opossum) were analyzed by applying non-Gaussian chain statistics to the swollen keratin network, including microdomains, which act as reinforcing filler particles in rubber. The phase structures of unswollen domains and swollen rubber were considered to originate from different structural components characteristic of α-keratin, namely, the high-sulfur matrix and the low-sulfur microfibrils being randomized by swelling. It has been suggested that (1) the modulus of swollen fibers increases with increase of the content of disulfide (SS) in keratins, (2) the volume fraction of high-sulfur domains increases with increase of SS content, and (3) the number of intermolecular cross-links in the rubber region of low-sulfur proteins is virtually the same among keratins and reaches about 65–75% of the SS linkages in the corresponding proteins. Some discussion has been made on the SS bonding in situ, namely, SS linkages between the low-sulfur proteins, between the low-sulfur and the high-sulfur proteins, and between the high-sulfur proteins in keratins. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Direct numerical simulation of flow and surface reaction in de-NOx catalyst

Selective catalytic reaction is a very efficient method to reduce NO_x emissions from thermal power plants and is widely used in Japan. To develop a higher performance de-NO_x system and optimize its maintenance schedule, it is important to understand the NO_x reduction mechanism in the honeycomb channel which supports the de-NO_x catalysts. In this study, the effects of duct channel flow behavior on the de-NO_x reaction at the catalyst surface were investigated using a direct numerical simulation (DNS). The DNS computations were performed for three inflow conditions, one laminar and two turbulent. The results show that although the flow transitions from turbulent to laminar flow as the flow moves downstream for the turbulent inflow conditions, de-NO_x reaction rates for the turbulent inflow conditions are higher than that for the laminar inflow condition even in the downstream region. This is because of the remaining cross-sectional fluid motions caused by the inflow turbulence. As a result, de-NO_x efficiencies for the turbulent conditions are higher than that for the laminar case. For both laminar and turbulent inflow conditions, de-NO_x reaction is suppressed in the corner regions due to the flow stagnation.     

Power Conditioner with Variable Switching Control for Thermoelectric Generator Systems

A thermoelectric (TE) power conditioner maintaining high efficiency over a wide input power range has been developed. Variable switching frequency operation is shown to give an improvement in efficient operating range. The input range showing more than 90% conversion efficiency is expanded to more than 25% by introducing a low-power controller circuit and variable switching frequency control. The TE power conditioner showed excellent response against a change in thermoelectric generator (TEG) output and load, making it suitable for automotive applications.     

The effect of talc on the crystallization of isotactic polypropylene

Isotactic polypropylene (iPP) has been crystallized in the presence of talc under the quiescent state and shear flow of injection molding. The resulting morphology has been investigated by means of polarizing microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and wide angle X‐ray diffraction. In the quiescent state, the iPP lamellae grew from the surface of talc and the transcrystalline region was formed at the interface between iPP melt and the talc. The nucleation of iPP was very frequent on the cleavage plane of talc. The X‐ray diffraction pattern of the transcrystal showed a*‐axis orientation to the crystal growing direction. In injection‐molded samples of the talc‐filled iPP, the morphology of lamella growing from talc appeared as same as that of the transcrystal. However, the crystalline orientation of injection‐molded talc‐filled iPP, in which the b axis was oriented to the thickness direction and the a* and the c axis was oriented to the flow direction, was quite different from that of the transcrystal. This b‐axis orientation results from the orientation of the plate plane of talc, which induces the nucleation and the crystallization under shear flow. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 79: 1693–1703, 2001     

Novel concept for the aggregation structure of fatty acid monolayers on the water surface and direct observation of molecular arrangements in their monolayers

The aggregation structure of fatty acid monolayers on water subphases of different pH’s was investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy. Fatty acid monolayers exhibited the phase transition from an amorphous state to a crystalline one by surface compression in the case of a highly dissociated state of hydrophilic groups, whereas they did not show the phase transition in the case of a slightly dissociated state. The aggregation structure of monolayers on the water surface was systematically classified into “the crystalline monolayer”, “the amorphous monolayer” and “the compressing crystallized monolayer” with respect to thermal and chemical (intermolecular repulsive) factors. Molecular-resolution images of fatty acid molecules in the monolayers on mica substrate were successfully observed with an atomic force microscope (AFM) for the first time. The AFM image of a lignoceric acid monolayer prepared at a surface pressure of 5mNm⁻¹ showed a two-dimensional periodic structure with locally disordered molecular arrangements. Also, the nondestructive AFM image observation was successful for a stearic acid monolayer which was prepared by a multistep creep method, indicating that a high mechanical stability of the monolayer is inevitably required for the nondestructive AFM observation.