An augmented automatic choosing control of observer type for nonlinear systems with linear measurement and its application to power systems

This paper deals with a feedback control using automatic choosing functions and the observer-control design procedure for nonlinear systems with linear measurement. A constant term which arises from linearization of a nonlinear equation is treated as a coefficient of a stable zero dynamics. A given nonlinear system is linearized piecewise so as to be able to design the linear optimal controllers with the linear observers. By the automatic choosing functions, these controllers are smoothly united into a single nonlinear feedback controller, which is called an augmented automatic choosing control of observer type. This controller is applied to a transient stability of power systems, whose simulation results show that the new controller enables to expand the stable region well. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Flame structures and combustion efficiency computed for a Mach 6 scramjet engine

Our hydrogen-fueled scramjet engines with a length of 2.1 m delivered net thrusts exceeding the engine drags and exhibited fuel specific impulses of about 10 km/s under Mach 4 to 8 flight conditions. A three-dimensional, reactive CFD code using unstructured hybrid grids was developed to accelerate the engine studies. Combustion in the scramjet engine under the Mach 6 condition was simulated by using this code. In this paper, the engine testing and the CFD code were outlined first. Timewise progress of hydroxyl radicals was investigated to understand autoignition and upstream-wise developments of combustion in the engine. Autoignition occurred from the cowl section at 0.1 ms after fuel mixing was completed. The reaction zones propagated upstream at speeds of about 500 m/s and reached the backward-facing steps in the combustor at 1 ms after the autoignition. Steady-state solutions showed small flames around individual fuel jets in the combustor and a large-scale diffusion flame downstream in the engine. Sonic combustion was autonomously realized in the combustor, resulting in delivery of a maximum thrust of 2250 N in the stoichiometric condition. Variations of combustion efficiency indicated that combustion performance was determined in a narrow region with a length of 0.15 m in the combustor and that the combustion downstream of the engine was rate-controlled by a large diffusion flame. The results found by the CFD computations enable us to not only improve engine performances but also to optimize computations for scramjet engines.     

Exciton Dynamics and Optically Pumped Lasing in 1-Naphthylmethylamine-Based Quasi-2D Perovskite Films

Films of the quasi-2D perovskite based on 1-naphthylmethylamine (NMA) are promising as the gain medium for optically pumped lasing and future electrically pumped lasing because of its low lasing threshold and small electroluminescence efficiency rolloff. However, reasons for the low threshold and small efficiency rolloff are still unclear. Therefore, exciton dynamics are investigated in NMA-based quasi-2D perovskite films. It is found that quenching of bright excitons by other excitons or charge carriers is unlikely in NMA-based quasi-2D perovskite films, which is one reason for the low lasing threshold and small efficiency rolloff. Moreover, thermally stimulated current measurements reveal that the defect levels inside the band gap of the NMA-based quasi-2D perovskite are shallow, with a depth of ≈0.3 eV, causing a decrease in nonradiative exciton recombination through the defects. Therefore, population inversion can be easily achieved, leading to the low lasing threshold as well. For fabrication of NMA-based quasi-2D perovskite laser devices with even lower lasing thresholds, a circular-shaped optical resonator, and small-molecule-based defect passivation are used. Optically pumped lasing can be obtained from these devices, with a threshold of ≈1 µJ cm⁻², which is one of the lowest values ever reported in any perovskite lasers.     

Molecular orientation induced by high-speed substrate transfer during vacuum vapor deposition of organic films

The authors investigate a relationship between substrate transfer speeds during vacuum vapor deposition and orientation characteristics of organic molecules. Results show that rod-shaped molecules of alpha-sexithiophene (α-6T) are oriented in a substrate transfer direction and an absorption dichroic ratio of 1.44 is obtained from the oriented α-6T molecule film when a high substrate transfer speed of 4 m s⁻¹ is used. By combining the substrate transfer technique with homoepitaxial growth of α-6T molecules on a rubbed surface, the absorption dichroic ratio further increases to 4.29. Polarized electroluminescence (EL) characteristics are investigated using rod-shaped molecules of 4,4′-bis[4-(di-p-tolylamino)styryl]biphenyl (DPAVBi) as a light-emitting hole-transport layer. An EL dichroic ratio of 2.12 is obtained due to an orientation of DPAVBi molecules caused by combining two techniques.     

Individual differences on diurnal variations of the task performance

In order to understand psychophysiological background of the individual differences on the diurnal variation of task performance, the task performance (i.e. the number of a simple adding calculation performed in one minute) was measured from 09:30 in the morning to 21:30 in the late evening for 9 healthy university male students. Heart rate (HR) and body temperature were also continuously recorded for 35 hours. There were two different types in the diurnal variation of the task performance; the morning type who shows the best performance in the morning, and the evening type who shows it in the evening. The body temperature curve during daytime in the evening type goes gradually up to the evening, on the contrary, that in the morning type rapidly rises to the maximum point in the morning or the afternoon. HR during daytime were higher in the morning type than the evening type. These results indicate that the morning type has a tendency of the higher mental tension compared with the evening type. And they also suggest that the individual differences on the task performance with a large mental concentration are caused by some kinds of subject's psychosomatic state.     

An evaluation of metal and semiconductor films formed by ionized-cluster beam deposition

The mechanism of film formation and the properties of films deposited by the ionized-cluster beam technique were investigated. In this technique, strong adhesion of the film to the substrate and good crystalline deposition are expected.A high adhesive strength of over 100 kg cm^-2 for Cu films on glass substrates was obtained in the experiments. The migration of adatoms consisting of ionized and neutral clusters was observed on the substrte surface. This effect, called the migration effect, can be considered to characterize film formation by cluster beam deposition and to produce good crystalline films. Si single crystals were obtained on Si substrates. A p-n junction photodiode was fabricated by the deposition of n-type Si on a p-type substrate. The diode shows improved spectral sensitivity in the UV region compared with that of commercially available solar cells.     

Copper-mediated growth of amyloid β fibrils in the presence of oxidized and negatively charged liposomes

Amyloid β protein (Aβ) from Alzheimer's disease formed fibrillar aggregates and their morphology depended on oxidized and negatively charged liposomes. The morphology of fibrillar aggregates was affected by Cu²⁺, together with their growth kinetics. This is because Cu²⁺ inhibited the nucleation step in the formation of amyloid Aβ fibrillar aggregates by forming Aβ/Cu complex inactive to the growth of fibrillar aggregates. In addition, this is probably because Cu²⁺ affected the fibrillar aggregate formed on the surface of liposomes. These findings would give a better understanding of the formation mechanism of amyloid fibrils on biomembranes.     

Multilayer Mg-Stainless Steel Sheets,Microstructure, and Mechanical Properties

Different multilayer Mg AZ31 and SS304L steel sheet combinations were prepared with different volume fractions of Mg. Isolated stress–strain curves of the Mg layers showed significant improvements in the strength and elongation of multilayer samples. Results indicated that in the most extreme situation with the lowest Mg volume fraction (V _f  = 0.39), the ultimate strength was increased by 25 pct to 370 MPa and the elongation was improved by 70 pct to 0.34. Investigation of the fracture surface showed that failure occurs by the coalescence of cracks close to the interface region. The improved strength of the multilayer samples was due to the combined effect of surface crack prevention by the steel layer and the higher work-hardening rate caused by the possible increased activity of non-basal systems. It is suggested that the stronger work-hardening behavior and the enhanced activity of non-basal systems in the multilayer samples were due to the formation of new stress components in the transverse direction. The larger the volume fraction of steel in the multilayer, the longer the distance remaining unstrained before the UTS.

     

Adhesive,Flexible, and Robust Polysaccharide Nanosheets Integrated for Tissue‐Defect Repair

Recent developments in nanotechnology have led to a method for producing free‐standing polymer nanosheets as a macromolecular organization. Compared with bulk films, the large aspect ratio of such nanosheets leads to unique physical properties, such as transparency, noncovalent adhesion, and high flexibility. Here, a biomedical application of polymer nanosheets consisting of biocompatible and biodegradable polysaccharides is reported. Micro‐scratch and bulge tests indicate that the nanosheets with a thickness of tens of nanometers have sufficient physical adhesiveness and mechanical strength for clinical use. A nanosheet of 75 nm thickness, a critical load of 9.1 × 10⁴ N m^?1, and an elastic modulus of 9.6 GPa is used for the minimally invasive repair of a visceral pleural defect in beagle dogs without any pleural adhesion caused by wound repair. For the first time, clinical benefits of sheet‐type nano‐biomaterials based on molecular organization are demonstrated, suggesting that novel therapeutic tools for overlapping tissue wounds will be possible without the need for conventional surgical interventions.     

Gas permeability of thin dense films from polymer blend of thermoplastic elastomer and polyolefin

Stretched thin films composed of a thermoplastic elastomer, a polystyrene‐block‐poly(ethylene butylene)‐block‐polystyrene triblock copolymer (SEBS), and polyolefins, poly(ethylene‐co‐ethylacrylate) and poly(ethylene‐co‐propylene), were obtained by blow‐molding, uniaxial stretching, and cooling to room temperature and the gas permeability of the stretched films was investigated. When the as‐blown annealed film was subjected to uniaxial stretching in the machine direction, P_O2 and P_N2 increased with an increase in the stretching ratio K and approached a constant value at high stretching ratios. In addition, P_O2/P_N2 decreased gradually with K and approached a value of 2.95–3.0. The reason for this unique gas permeation behavior is that the molecular mobility of poly(ethylene butylene) chains in a direction normal to the film increases and reaches an equilibrium state at around K = 4.5. The change in gas permeability of the stretched films can be explained using a deformation model for the SEBS matrix. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 39386.