An Investigation of Titanium Nitride Prepared by a DC Arc Plasma Jet

The properties of a titanium nitride film prepared by a DC arc plasma jet were investigated by microscopic observations, composition analysis, and hardness measurements. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the film was composed of three phases, designated the A, B, and C regions from the outer surface. The existence of three regions was also supported by composition analysis and hardness measurements on the cross section. XRD patterns showed the presence of -TiN in the A region. In the B region, a number of voids were observed, which have never been reported in previous papers. These were made up from specific crystallographic surfaces. The C region also had a few voids which were somewhat different from those in the B region. In the matrix, an acicular texture was found and identified as -Ti solid solution by XRD. The cross section of the film changed the color determined by the nitrogen content.     

Brilliant cosmetic film for ambient displays,with cholesteric liquid crystal

We have successfully developed a cosmetic film with polymerized cholesteric material. The film features a variety of colors by helical pitch gradients, diffusive texture, and arbitrary color patterns. It hides the display when turned off, and transmits display images when turned on. We believe it could change the display in the OFF‐state from the conventional black wall to specially designed decorations. In addition, they can be applied to hidden sensors.     

Syntheses of photocrosslinkable polymer from modified poly(methyl vinyl ketone)

Photocrosslinkable polymer is prepared from amorphous poly(methyl vinyl ketone) (A-PMVK) obtained by anionic polymerization of methyl vinyl ketone. The reaction of A-PMVK with cinnamoyl chloride proceeds in pyridine at 50°C. The photosensitivity of the polymer obtained is measured by infrared and Ultraviolet photometry. The polymer is of a crosslinkable type and forms cyclobutane linkage by ultraviolet irradiation. The polymer is coated on a lithographic aluminum plate and exposed to arc and high-pressure mercury lamps. Development is with benzene, and standard inking by lithography is applied. The imaging area on the plate is stable and harder than poly(vinyl cinnamate), due to intra- and intermolecular cyclization of the main chain. Many good reproductions are produced in the lithographic proofing machine. The photosensitive polymer obtained by A-PMVK is very useful in relief plates requiring etching.     

Low‐frequency sound absorption of organic hybrid comprised of chlorinated polyethylene and N,N′‐dicyclohexyl‐2‐benzothiazolyl sulfenamide

We investigated the sound absorption characteristics of an organic hybrid material comprised of chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) as the matrix polymer and N,N′‐dicyclohexyl‐2‐benzothiazolyl sulfenamide (DBS) as the second component of an organic low‐molecular‐weight compound. We found specific crystallites, obtained by annealing, that generated new absorption for a low‐frequency sound in a CPE/DBS blend. We observed two sound absorption peaks, around 300 and 1000 Hz, in the annealed CPE/DBS (50 : 50 w/w) blends, whereas those peaks were not observed in the untreated sample. There were two kinds of crystals with different melting points in the annealed samples. It was confirmed that the crystals with the lower melting point brought about sound absorption at a low frequency. The crystals that had the lower melting point were smaller and/or more disordered than the crystals that had the higher melting point. We calculated the fraction of these two types of crystals from differential scanning calorimetry and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction measurements. The annealing or reannealing temperature specified the fraction of the crystal with the lower melting point, and the obtained crystal fraction characterized sound absorption frequency. Therefore, it is possible to control the sound absorption frequency of an organic hybrid by heat treatment such as annealing. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2006     

Polarization dependent optical absorption properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes and methodology for the evaluation of their morphology

Polarization dependence of the optical absorption properties of SWNTs is presented and investigated in detail for the energy range 0.5-6 eV. We found that the absorption peaks in the UV region at approximately 4.5 and 5.25 eV exhibit remarkable and different dependencies on the morphology of the SWNT film, or equivalently, on the incident light polarization relative to the SWNT axis. An analytical pathway to evaluate the physical degree of SWNT alignment for a vertically aligned SWNT film is developed with both transition dipoles parallel and perpendicular to the SWNT axis taken into account. This analytical procedure, coupled with polarized optical absorption measurements performed on the vertically aligned SWNT film grown on substrates, leads to the determination of the bare optical absorption cross-section of SWNTs for both parallel and perpendicular to SWNT axis. In the end, the proposed methodology for evaluating the SWNT film morphology is applied to investigate the transient change of the degree of alignment in the growth process of our vertically aligned SWNT films.     

Terahertz time domain attenuated total reflection spectroscopy with an integrated prism system

We demonstrated attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy with an integrated prism system that included a terahertz emitter, a terahertz receiver, and an ATR prism. The ATR prism had two internal off-axis parabolic mirrors for, respectively, collimating and focusing the terahertz waves. The Fresnel loss at each interface was reduced, and the total propagation efficiency was 3.36 times larger than when using a non-integrated prism system. The refractive index of water samples calculated from the experimental data showed good agreement with values reported in the literature.     

Dirac Cone Spin Polarization of Graphene by Magnetic Insulator Proximity Effect Probed with Outermost Surface Spin Spectroscopy

The effects of the proximity contact with magnetic insulator on the spin‐dependent electronic structure of graphene are explored for the heterostructure of single‐layer graphene (SLG) and yttrium iron garnet Y₃Fe₅O₁₂ (YIG) by means of outermost surface spin spectroscopy using a spin‐polarized metastable He atom beam. In the SLG/YIG heterostructure, the Dirac cone electrons of graphene are found to be negatively spin polarized in parallel to the minority spins of YIG with a large polarization degree, without giving rise to significant changes in the π band structure. Theoretical calculations reveal the electrostatic interfacial interactions providing a strong physical adhesion and the indirect exchange interaction causing the spin polarization of SLG at the interface with YIG. The Hall device of the SLG/YIG heterostructure exhibits a nonlinear Hall resistance attributable to the anomalous Hall effect, implying the extrinsic spin–orbit interactions as another manifestation of the proximity effect.     

Chronic psychosocial factors and acute physiological responses to laboratory-induced stress in healthy populations: A quantitative review of 30 years of investigations.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 135(5) of Psychological Bulletin (see record 2009-12487-006). There is an error in Table 1. On p. 840 the entry for Hill et al. 1987 should be Masters et al. 2004.] This meta-analysis included 729 studies from 161 articles investigating how acute stress responsivity (including stress reactivity and recovery of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis, autonomic, and cardiovascular systems) changes with various chronic psychosocial exposures (job stress; general life stress; depression or hopelessness; anxiety, neuroticism, or negative affect; hostility, aggression, or Type-A behavior; fatigue, burnout, or exhaustion; positive psychological states or traits) in healthy populations. In either the overall meta-analysis or the methodologically strong subanalysis, positive psychological states or traits were associated with reduced HPA reactivity. Hostility, aggression, or Type-A behavior was associated with increased cardiovascular (heart rate or blood pressure) reactivity, whereas anxiety, neuroticism, or negative affect was associated with decreased cardiovascular reactivity. General life stress and anxiety, neuroticism, or negative affect were associated with poorer cardiovascular recovery. However, regarding the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system, there were no associations between the chronic psychosocial factors and stress reactivity or recovery. The results largely reflect an integrated stress response pattern of hypo- or hyperactivity depending on the specific nature of the psychosocial background. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction feasibility of DHC with CGS in commercial and residential sectors viewed from energy saving effect in whole energy system in japan

District Heating and Cooling (DHC) combined with a Cogeneration System (CGS) is one of the most efficient ways to supply energy to the commercial and residential sectors. This paper discusses the feasibility of introducting DHC from the viewpoint of the overall energy saving effect in Japan's energy system as a whole. Although DHC is efficient for congested areas such as urban business centers, these areas are limited in capacity and number. In our evaluation of the feasibility of introducing DHC, we consider the energy demand density profiles of Japan's commercial and residential sectors in order to determine the installed DHC capacity that is optimal for meeting the growth of energy demand. This paper also discusses operating patterns of CGS and of boilers in DHC. In order to improve the efficiency of individual DHC facilities, CGS should be operated so as to satisfy heating demand, resulting in a low annual load factor. On the other hand, the overall efficiency of the energy system requires an improvement of the overall load factor of CGS, which is achievable by combined use of CGS and boilers. Operation of CGS in this manner improves the feasibility of the introduction of DHC. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 133(2): 31–42, 2000     

Economic evaluation of independent power producers viewed from total generating costs of electric power systems

In Japan, electric power utilities purchase electricity from independent power producers (IPPs) through competitive bidding; the IPP evaluation is based on the avoided costs of corresponding generators of utilities. In this evaluation, however, nonpricing factors such as power flow constraints in the electric power system cannot be considered. In this paper, we propose a new approach to evaluate economic impacts of IPPs, the IPP electricity being priced on the basis of total generating costs of the electric power utilities. Such a price to purchase the electricity of IPPs is referred to as the “break‐even cost.” The main results are summarized as follows: 1) Break‐even cost depends on not only the power flow constraints in the system, but also various IPP factors such as generating pattern, location, and capacity, 2) Break‐even cost for the base‐type IPP is higher than the avoided cost of corresponding utility generators, because IPPs located on demand sides can reduce the transmission power loss in the electric power system, 3) Break‐even cost is affected by available capacity of utility generators, especially for the peak‐type IPP generating only during peak demand periods. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 133(2): 20–30, 2000