Reaction joining of SiC ceramics using TiB2-based composites

SiC ceramics were reaction joined in the temperature range of 1450–1800 °C using TiB₂-based composites starting from four types of joining materials, namely Ti–BN, Ti–B₄C, Ti–BN–Al and Ti–B₄C–Si. XRD analysis and microstructure examination were carried out on SiC joints. It is found that the former two joining materials do not yield good bond for SiC ceramics at temperatures up to 1600 °C. However, Ti–BN–Al system results in the connection of SiC substrates at 1450 °C by the formation of TiB₂–AlN composite. Furthermore, nearly dense SiC joints with crack-free interface have been produced from Ti–BN–Al and Ti–B₄C–Si systems at 1800 °C, i.e. joints TBNA80 and TBCS80, whose average bending strengths are measured to be 65 MPa and 142 MPa, respectively. The joining mechanisms involved are also discussed.     

Dielectric properties of woven fabric glass fiber reinforced polymer-matrix composites in the THz frequency range

Electromagnetic wave transmittances of plain woven fabric glass fiber reinforced epoxy matrix composite (PW-GFRP) and eight-harness-stain fabric glass fiber reinforced polyimide matrix composite (8H-GFRP) with 1.0 mm thickness were measured in a terahertz (THz) frequency range. The transmittance values for both composites are nearly zero at a frequency of 1.0 THz. The real parts of the complex dielectric constant, ε′(ω) are 4.45 and 3.87 for PW-GFRP and 8H-GFRP, respectively, in the frequency range from 0.2 to 1.0 THz, and they are almost frequency independent. Conversely, the imaginary parts of the dielectric constant, ε′′(ω) for both composites linearly increases with increase of the frequency from 0.13 to 0.37 for PW-GFRP, and from 0.12 to 0.33 for 8H-GFRP.     

Structural analysis and transistor properties of hetero-molecular bilayers

We examined the film morphologies and transistor properties of hetero-molecular bilayer consisting of N, N’-dioctyl-3, 4, 9, 10-perylenedicarboximide (PTCDI-C₈) and quaterrylene. First, the structure and carrier conduction of PTCDI-C₈ films were studied, followed by an analysis of the carrier accumulation process in a PTCDI-C₈/quaterrylene hetero-bilayer transistor. Based on the displacement current measurement (DCM), we stress the potential of the hetero-bilayer for tuning carrier accumulation like carrier doping techniques in field-effect transistors.     

Microstructural analysis of the stir zone of Al alloy produced by friction stir spot welding

The present study applied friction spot joining (FSJ), which was recently developed as a lap joining technique of Al alloys, to two sheets of Al alloy 6061, 1 mm in thickness, and then examined the microstructural feature in the weld. The weld had the nugget-shaped stir zone around the exit hole of the probe, and the stir zone exhibited the equiaxed grain structure having finer grain size than that of the base material. The crystallographic texture analysis using electron backscattered diffraction method suggested that the material movement occurred along the rotating direction of the welding tool in the wide region including the stir zone. In the periphery of the nugget-shaped stir zone, which was characterized as the region having the finer grain size than that of the stir zone interior, any inclusions and precipitates were not found in the SEM scale. The weld was softened around the weld centre. The softening could be explained by dissolution and/or growth of the strengthening precipitates due to thermal cycle of FSJ.     

The unique flow of polypropylene at the weld line behind an obstacle in injection molding

In this article, a weld line placed behind an obstacle in an injection‐molded plaque made of metallic mold‐in‐color polypropylene (PP) was investigated. A broad uneven glossy section was visually observed along the weld line after the v‐notch weld disappeared. Although disk‐shaped metallic pigments were oriented parallel to the wall according to laminar flow, the pigment particles at the weld behind the obstacle were ordered vertically at the center of the depth direction. In PP molded without pigment, a black line was observed at the same position in the metallic weld. Based on a measurement of the crystal structure, the black line was caused by the rapid cooling of molten PP. Elongational flow occurred along the weld line after the diminishing v‐notch weld. The unique flow ordered the pigments obliquely at the advancing flow front and disturbed the subsequent flow of hot PP which transferred heat to the crystallizing mass. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Mesophase structure discovered through in-situ X-ray measurement in drawing process of poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylate) fiber

The structure development in the continuous laser-heated drawing process of poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylate) (PEN) fiber was analyzed by in-situ X-ray diffraction measurement. Because of the rapid and uniform laser heating, and the resultant steady-state nature of the necking-drawing, the structure development after the on-set of necking could be measured in the time resolution of several hundred microseconds. We found for the first time the temporal appearance of meridional (001′) diffraction at several milliseconds after the on-set of necking indicating that the mesophase structure similar to the one reported for poly(ethylene terephthalate) was also formed in the initial stage of fiber structure development of PEN. The d-spacing of the (001′) diffraction 1.230 ± 0.003 nm was shorter than the c-axis lengths of both α and β crystals.     

Effects of veterinary drugs on beta-hexosaminidase release from rat basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3)

Little is known about the effects of residual veterinary drugs on the allergic reaction, except for the antigenicity of antibiotics and synthetic antimicrobials. Therefore, 59 kinds of veterinary drugs were investigated for their effects on the IgE receptor-mediated beta-hexosaminidase release from RBL-2H3 cells as an index of immediate allergic reaction. We found that the antibiotics chlorotetracycline, doxycycline, monensin, the synthetic antimicrobial pyrimethamine and the steroid hormone testosterone inhibited beta-hexosaminidase release. Most of the veterinary drugs showed no action, though the ionophores lasalocid, salinomycin and the steroid hormone hexestrol promoted beta-hexosaminidase release from injured cells. Based on the residual levels of these drugs and the frequencies of detection in actual food samples, it seems unlikely that these drugs have any immediate allergic effect in practice.     

Determination of free fatty acids in milk and dairy products by reversed-phase HPLC with fluorescence detection

A highly sensitive HPLC with fluorescence detection was developed for the determination of free fatty acids (FFAs) in milk and dairy products. For this purpose, the FFAs were extracted from small amounts of milk (1.0 mL), cheese (0.5 g) and butter (0.5 g) using Sep-Pak cartridge columns, and then derivatized to 9-anthrylmethyl esters with 9-anthryldiazomethane (ADAM). Good separations of the ADAM derivatives of 16 FFAs (C4-C18) that exist in milk, cheese and butter, which permitted quantitative estimation of their individual FFAs, were achieved by HPLC on a C18 column (Cadenza CD-C18, 150 x 3 mm i.d.) using gradient elution with methanol and water. The acid values calculated from the contents of individual FFAs were in good agreement with those obtained by the conventional titration method. These results demonstrate that the present HPLC method is simple, sensitive and precise, and could be utilized widely for determination of the FFAs in milk and dairy products.     

Isotope 18O/16O ratio measurements of water vapor by use of the 950-nm wavelength region with cavity ring-down and photoacoustic spectroscopic techniques

Two optical methods, cavity ring-down spectroscopy and photoacoustic spectroscopy, are applied to the measurement of the isotope ratio 18O/16O in water-vapor samples with a Nd3+:YAG pumped-dye laser. The combination band of (2v1 + v3) in the 960-nm region of water molecules is investigated for two standard water samples, the Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water and the Standard Light Antarctic Precipitation. The results demonstrate that the two methods have the potential of compact systems for in-situ measurements of H2O isotope ratio in the environment.