Comparison of organic ligand effects on morphology control between disc-like zeolite L crystals and zeolite A and W crystals

Thin disc-like zeolite L crystals were hydrothermally synthesized in the presence of organic ligands, such as catechol and acetylacetone. Thus, zeolite L crystals with many channel entrances on the surface were obtained. Although it was speculated that the complex formation of the organic ligands with aluminate ion in the reaction gels influenced the formation of the disc-like zeolite L crystals, bis-tris which can form a complex with aluminate ion did not show the same effect on zeolite L morphology as catechol and acetylacetone. So, the influence of ligands on crystal morphology was compared between some types of zeolites. Both catechol and bis-tris increased crystal size of zeolite A and zeolite W. Thus, the ligand effect on crystal shapes of disc-like zeolite L was different from that of zeolite A and zeolite W. Moreover, the ligand effect was also examined under agitation. For zeolite L synthesis with the addition of catechol and acetylacetone, the obtained crystalline phase was changed to zeolite T by agitation. Hence, other than the complex formation of aluminate ion with ligands such as catechol, the heterogeneous distribution of reactants probably played an important role in the formation of the disc-like zeolite L crystals.     

Gamma-ray irradiation impact of humic substances on apparent formation constants with Cu(II)

Aqueous solution samples of humic acid and fulvic acid were irradiated with gamma-rays in the dose range of 0–500 kGy at two dose rates, 0.1 and 1 kGy/h. The brownish solutions discolored with 500 kGy irradiation indicating degradation by radiolysis, and the index of degree of humification (as the absorbance ratio at 400 nm and 600 nm) was studied using UV-Visible spectroscopy. Apparent formation constants of Cu(II) with humic substances (HSs) in 0.1 M NaClO₄ were determined at 298 K by potentiometric titration using Cu ion selective electrode (ISE), and the effect of gamma irradiation on the constants is herein discussed. To calculate formation constants, the acid dissociation constants of HSs were also measured by potentiometric titration and used as the degree of dissociation. Though the concentration of carboxylic groups decreased drastically with high radiation exposure, no significant change in apparent formation constants was found.     

Uncertainty quantification of neutronic parameters of light water reactor fuel cells with JENDL-4.0 covariance data

Neutronic parameter uncertainty induced by nuclear data uncertainty is quantified for several light water reactor fuel cells composed of different combinations of fissile/fertile nuclides. The covariance data given in JENDL-4.0 are used as the nuclear data uncertainty, and uncertainty propagation calculations are carried out using sensitivity coefficients calculated with the generalized perturbation theory for burnup-related neutronic parameters.

It is found that main contributors of nuclear data uncertainty to the neutronic parameter uncertainty are the uranium-238 capture cross section in a uranium-oxide fuel cell, and the plutonium-240 and plutonium-241 capture cross sections and fission spectrum of fissile plutonium isotopes in a uranium–plutonium mixed-oxide fuel cell. It is also found that thorium-232 capture cross section uncertainty is a dominant source of neutronic parameter uncertainty in thorium–uranium and thorium–plutonium mixed-oxide fuel cells. It should be emphasized that precise and detail information of component-wise uncertainties can be obtained by virtue of the adjoint-based sensitivity calculation methodology. Furthermore, cross-correlations are evaluated for each fuel cell, and strong correlations among the same parameters at the beginning of cycle and at the end of cycle and among different parameters are observed.     

A new assessment method for demonstrating the sufficiency of the safety assessment and the safety margins of the geological disposal system

A new method for demonstrating the sufficiency of the safety assessment and safety margins of the geological disposal system has been developed. The method is based on an existing comprehensive sensitivity analysis method and can systematically identify the successful conditions, under which the dose rate does not exceed specified safety criteria, using analytical solutions for nuclide migration and the results of a statistical analysis. The successful conditions were identified using three major variables. Furthermore, the successful conditions at the level of factors or parameters were obtained using relational equations between the variables and the factors or parameters making up these variables. In this study, the method was applied to the safety assessment of the geological disposal of transuranic waste in Japan. Based on the system response characteristics obtained from analytical solutions and on the successful conditions, the classification of the analytical conditions, the sufficiency of the safety assessment and the safety margins of the disposal system were then demonstrated. A new assessment procedure incorporating this method into the existing safety assessment approach is proposed in this study. Using this procedure, it is possible to conduct a series of safety assessment activities in a logical manner.     

Efficient fission neutron spectrum matrix representation by singular value decomposition technique

In order to treat efficiently a huge fission neutron spectrum (FNS) matrix in a criticality calculation, the singular value decomposition (SVD) technique is introduced to an FNS matrix representation. The required number of SVD components for reconstruction of an FNS matrix is expected to be small since an incident neutron energy dependence of FNS is not so significant. The proposed technique of an SVD-based representation for a fission source term is tested in several fast critical systems. Through an observation of critical eigenvalue dependence on the number of considered SVD components, only six or seven components are required to obtain a critical eigenvalue which agrees with the reference solution within 10^?4 dk/kk′. It is also confirmed that a small reactivity effect caused by neutron spectrum shifting can be accurately calculated with the proposed technique.     

Improvement of photonuclear reaction model below 140 MeV in the PHITS code

The photonuclear reaction model in the particle and heavy ion transport code system (PHITS) code is improved for incident photon energies below 140 MeV. Japanese Evaluated Nuclear Data Library (JENDL) Photonuclear Data File 2004 (JENDL/PD-2004) is adopted to determine the total reaction cross section. The statistical decay model after excitation of the nucleus in PHITS is improved by modifying the decay widths for light nuclei under the isospin selection rule to reasonably reproduce the proton and neutron emission in the de-excitation process. The quasideuteron disintegration process is newly introduced into PHITS to handle the photonuclear reaction up to 140 MeV of incident photon energy. The accuracy of the improvements was verified by comparison with the experimental literature data. The improved PHITS can contribute to various practical applications such as neutron dose estimation in X-ray therapy.     

Deformation Behavior and Dynamic Recrystallization of Biomedical Co-Cr-W-Ni (L-605) Alloy

The mechanical behavior of Co-20Cr-15W-10Ni alloy is studied by compression tests at high temperature. Microstructures after deformation are evaluated using SEM-EBSD. Significant grain refinement occurs by dynamic recrystallization for high temperatures and low strain rates [T > 1373 K (1100 °C), strain rate <0.1 s^?1], and at high strain rates (strain rate ~10 s^?1). Dynamic recrystallization is discontinuous and occurs by nucleation of grain boundaries, leading to a necklace-like structure. The nucleation mechanism is most likely bulging of grain boundaries. However, recrystallization occurs also by rotation of annealing twins, which can bulge as well. Modeling of the observed mechanical behavior gives a fair quantification of flow softening due to dynamic recrystallization, indicating the progress of dynamic recrystallization with deformation.     

Flexible inverted polymer solar cells on polyethylene terephthalate substrate containing zinc oxide electron-collection-layer prepared by novel sol–gel method and low-temperature treatments

Flexible and air-stable polymer solar cells were fabricated on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. The cell structure was indium tin oxide (ITO) on PET/zinc oxide (ZnO)/[6,6]-phenyl C₆₁ butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM):regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/poly (3,4-ethylenedioxylenethiophene):poly(4-styrene sulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS)/Au, this being called the ZnO cell. Reproducible cell performances were obtained despite the ZnO cells being fabricated in air and at low temperature, using a novel ZnO precursor solution containing zinc(II) acetylacetonate as a metal source and acetylacetone as a Zn²⁺ complexing agent. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the flexible ZnO cells without sealing was 2.15% under irradiating AM1.5G simulated sunlight at 100 mW cm^?2. In addition, the performance of the non-sealed ZnO cells was almost constant in ambient atmosphere under continuous light irradiation for 100 h.     

Xanthohumol,a prenylated chalcone from Humulus lupulus L., inhibits cholesteryl ester transfer protein

High density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels are correlated with a low risk of atherosclerosis. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), which catalyses cholesterol transfer between lipoproteins, leads to an increase in HDL-cholesterol and is expected to be the next anti-atherogenic target. This study revealed that xanthohumol, a prenylated chalcone, showed the highest inhibition against CETP from screening of natural products in various plants. We investigated the inhibitory activity of some chalcones and flavanones. Naringenin chalcone showed weak CETP inhibition compared with xanthohumol. In addition, isoxanthohumol and naringenin drastically decreased the inhibitory activity. These results suggest that the prenyl group and chalcone structure of xanthohumol were responsible for the CETP inhibitory activity.     

Measurement of tennis player's stroke form by ground reaction forces

This letter proposes a tennis instruction support system to provide stroke‐form information obtained through measurement and analysis of ground reaction forces. The originality of the proposed method can be summarized as follows: (i) simultaneous outdoor measurements of ground reaction forces on the front part (toes) and back part (heels) of both feet are conducted for visual recognition of the center of gravity of a tennis player's body during a stroke, and (ii) the comparison between experienced players and beginners is examined so that the system can be used for training beginners. © 2013 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.