Effect of re-oxidation on dielectric properties in Ni-MLCC

The effect of re-oxidation treatment on the solubility of dopants and the dielectric properties of rare-earths (La, Ho) and V-substituted BaTiO₃ solid solutions, assuming the shell phase of X7R dielectrics, was investigated. Ho-V-substituted samples showed larger increase of the lattice parameter and T _c by re-oxidation treatment compared with La-V-substituted samples. Electron spin resonance measurements revealed that the oxidation of V³⁺ to V⁴⁺ or V⁵⁺ appeared in the range in which the increase of lattice parameter by re-oxidation treatment was observed. This suggests that the increase of T _c is due to the change of preferential occupational site of Ho ion from A-site to B-site, being accompanied with the oxidation of V³⁺. We also investigated the effect of re-oxidation treatment on the electrical properties and microstructure in Ni-MLCC samples, using rare-earths (La, Ho, Yb) and acceptors (Mn, V) doped BaTiO₃ based X7R dielectrics. The change in temperature characteristic of the dielectric constant by re-oxidation treatment was observed for the MLCC samples containing V with smaller content. In the case of Ho-V- and Yb-V-doped samples showed larger increase of the dielectric constant at around 120 °C compared with La-V-doped samples. The relationship between the microstructure and electrical properties of the MLCC sample was investigated by impedance measurement at elevated temperature.     

Propagation and termination of an internal crack in continuously cast austenitic stainless steel analyzed by ∑ values and the Schmid factor

The formation mechanism of an internal crack was clarified from the viewpoint of the crystallography and thermal expansion. An inverse pole figure map obtained by EBSD pattern showed that the crack propagated along the grain boundaries having high ∑ values within the columnar zone. After the crack initiation, these positions were considered to undergo cracking followed by propagation toward the equiaxed side. Near the termination position, the grains ahead of crack propagation had a Schmid factor higher than 0.45 consuming elastic strain energy. Thermal expansion measurements showed that the grain with (0 0 1) orientation had the largest expansion while that with (0 1 1) the smallest. The grain boundaries neighboring the combination of (0 0 1) and (0 1 1) grains had the largest thermal stress. Therefore, thermal stress contributed to the initiation of cracking. It was thus proposed to enlarge the equiaxed zone to prevent cracking by discontinuing the crack propagation.     

Lifetime test and heritage on orbit of coolers for space use

This report describes the results and operating status of ground lifetime testing and achievements on orbit of coolers for space use. Ground lifetime tests of coolers of three types were conducted to demonstrate their long life and reliability. Three single-stage Stirling coolers were tested for 89,016, 71,871 and 68,273 h from 1998, a two-stage Stirling cooler was tested for 72,906 h, and a 4-K class cooler with a two-stage Stirling cooler and a Joule–Thomson cooler was tested for over 2.5 years. After lifetime tests were completed, a few coolers were investigated to determine the cause of the cooling performance degradation. Additionally, the filled gas of the coolers was analyzed. These coolers have shown good results on orbit. Three single-stage Stirling coolers were carried on the X-ray astronomical satellite “SUZAKU” (launched in July 2005), Japanese lunar polar orbiter “KAGUYA” (launched in September 2007), and the Japanese Venus Climate Orbiter “AKATSUKI” (launched in June 2010). Two units of a two-stage Stirling cooler were carried on the infrared astronomical satellite “AKARI” launched in February 2006. A 4-K class cooler was carried on the Superconducting Submillimeter-Wave Limb-Emission Sounder (SMILES) aboard the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) of the International Space Station (ISS). SMILES was launched in September 2009.     

Hydrothermal conversion of Mg2TiO4 into brookite-type TiO2 under mild conditions

A simple and mild synthetic route via a hydrothermal treatment of Mg₂TiO₄ has been developed to prepare brookite-type TiO₂. The hydrothermal conversion of Mg₂TiO₄ to brookite proceeded in 1 M HCl solution even at 100 °C. The converted brookite grains were composed of the angular particles covered on the textured surface, leaving the original morphology of Mg₂TiO₄ grains. Compared with the commercially available TiO₂ catalysts (rutile, anatase, and P25), the brookite obtained in this study showed a good photocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde under a simulated sunlight irradiation.     

Tiliroside, a glycosidic flavonoid, inhibits carbohydrate digestion and glucose absorption in the gastrointestinal tract

Scope Recent studies have reported that tiliroside, a glycosidic flavonoid, possesses anti‐diabetic activities. In the present study, we investigated the effects of tiliroside on carbohydrate digestion and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Methods and results This study showed that tiliroside inhibits pancreatic α‐amylase (IC₅₀ = 0.28 mM) in vitro. Tiliroside was found as a noncompetitive inhibitor of α‐amylase with K_i values of 84.2 μM. In male ICR mice, the increase in postprandial plasma glucose levels was significantly suppressed in the tiliroside‐administered group. Tiliroside treatment also suppressed hyperinsulinemia after starch administration. Tiliroside administration inhibited the increase of plasma glucose levels in an oral glucose tolerance test, but not in an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. In human intestinal Caco‐2 cells, the addition of tiliroside caused a significant dose‐dependent inhibition of glucose uptake. The inhibitory effects of both sodium‐dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) and glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) inhibitors (phlorizin and phloretin, respectively) on glucose uptake were significantly inhibited in the presence of tiliroside, suggesting that tiliroside inhibited glucose uptake mediated by both SGLT1 and GLUT2. Conclusion These findings indicate that the anti‐diabetic effects of tiliroside are at least partially mediated through inhibitory effects on carbohydrate digestion and glucose uptake in the gastrointestinal tract.     

Mechanism of Particle Separation in Small Hydrocyclone

The mechanism of particle separation in a small hydrocyclone is analyzed in this study. The separation efficiency of particles is affected by two major effects, the centrifugal and underflow effects. The fundamentals of these effects on the selectivity curve are derived from the theories of hydrodynamics. Three JIS particulate samples are separated in a 10-mm hydrocyclone. The proposed mechanism can be demonstrated by the available data. An increase in split ratio leads to an increase in the separation efficiency only for fine particles; consequently, a decrease in the separation sharpness results in a remarkable fishhook phenomenon. When the feed rate is increased by increasing the pressure drop through the hydrocyclone, the entire partial separation efficiency will be improved, but the separation sharpness and fishhook depth have no substantial varieties. The proposed mechanism can be used for explaining these phenomena, for the selection of optimum operating conditions, and for the hydrocyclone design.     

Effect of electro-chemical properties of sodium salts of various anions on their diffusional parameters in symmetrical cellulose acetate membranes

A relation was obtained between electro-chemical properties of sodium salts (NaCl, NaBr, and Na₂SO₄), and the thermodynamic property of permeability in symmetrical cellulose acetate membranes, the distribution coefficient K and the kinetic property, the overall diffusion coefficients D. K and D were obtained by the method we proposed using measured unsteady- and steady-state dialysis data. The K values increase with the increase of water content and are in the range of 10⁻² for sodium halides and 10⁻³ for Na₂SO₄. D is found to increase with the increase of the solute concentration, and the extrapolated values of D to zero concentration D⁽⁰⁾ are obtained as 0.015–0.03 μm²/s and increase with the increase of water content in the membrane. D can be divided into the concentration independent diffusion coefficients in the dense part of the membrane D_d and in the porous D_p, applying a two-part (perfect or dense and imperfect or porous) model of the membrane. Contrary to D_d, D_p increases with the increase of W_w and can be correlated as D_p,c = _d exp (γ × W_w). It is shown that the averaged D_d, _D increases with the increase of the quantity of the ionic mobility u of the solutes at infinite dilution divided by valence, and that the parameter γ increases with the increase of the ionic mobility u. The value of K increases slightly with the increase of water content and decreases with the increase of the Flory—Huggins parameter χ. The Flory—Huggins parameter χ is calculated from the measured values of distribution coefficients and data obtained from the literature. And it was found that the gradient of linear decrease of χ (λ_cation) depends on equivalent ionic conductivity of anion of salt, λ_an.     

Entrap-immobilization of invertase on composite gel fiber of cellulose acetate and zirconium alkoxide by sol–gel process

We prepared a composite gel fiber by the gel formation of cellulose acetate and zirconium tetra-n-butoxide. Gel fiber is stable in common solvents, phosphate solution, and electrolyte solution. Invertase was entrap-immobilized on the gel fiber. The immobilization was easily performed under the mild conditions. The apparent Michaelis constant (K_m) and maximum reaction velocity (V_max) were estimated from Eadie–Hofstee plot for immobilized invertase. The K_m of immobilized invertase was larger than that of native invertase, while the opposite tendency was observed for the V_max. The activity for the immobilized invertase became higher with increasing fiber diameter. It indicates that the hydrolysis of sucrose occurs in the neighborhood of the fiber surface. The thermal stability of the immobilized invertase was higher than those of its native counterpart. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 2084–2088, 2001