Simulation of kinetic analysis on terpolymerization of styrene/butyl methacrylate/methacrylic acid system

The simultaneous differential equations which connected the copolymerization kinetics of the component reaction in the multi-copolymerization system with the changing rate of the concentration of each monomer and radical, the concentration and the molecular weight of the polymer obtained are analysed in a number of ways. The distribution of the components and the degree of polymerization are also simulated. The styrene/butyl methacrylate/methacrylic acid terpolymerization system, using carbon tetrachloride as solvent and benzoyl peroxide as initiator, was chosen. The simulation model which satisfied the experimental values of the concentration of the multiple components in the system, the composition and molecular weight distribution and the number of chlorine atoms introduced into the copolymer ends is established. When the time interval changed, the effects on the distribution of the composition in copolymers and the distribution of the degree of polymerization were also calculated.     

Rotating fullerene chains in carbon nanopeapods

The rotation of fullerene chains in SWNT peapods is studied using low-voltage high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Anisotropic fullerene chain structures (i.e., C300) are formed in situ in carbon nanopeapods via electron beam induced coalescence of individual fullerenes (i.e., C60). A low electron accelerating voltage of 80 kV is used to prevent damage to the SWNT. The large asymmetric C300 fullerene structure exhibits translational motion inside the SWNT and unique corkscrew like rotation motion. Another asymmetric fullerene chain containing mixed fullerene species is prepared by fusing smaller C60 fullerenes to a larger Sc@C82 fullerene, and this also exhibits corkscrew rotational motion. Chains of Sc3C2@C80 in SWNT peapods adopt a zigzag packing structure, and the entire zigzag chain rotates inside the SWNT to induce structural modifications to the SWNT diameter and cross-sectional shape of the SWNT. The expansion and contraction of the diameter of the SWNT is measured as 17%, demonstrating nanoactuation behavior in carbon nanopeapods.     

Megasonic transducer drive utilizing MOSFET DC-to-RF inverter withoutput power of 600 W at 1 MHz

This paper describes MOSFET power inverter systems, each provided to drive a megasonic transducer with an output power of 600 W at a frequency of 1 MHz. Since the megasonic transducer is used as a resonant load with a series resistance of approximately 1 Ω, the impedance characteristic of the megasonic transducer used as an inverter load is analyzed and compared with measured data. A new method is developed to match the inverter output impedance to the load impedance of as low as 1 Ω at the resonant frequency using a high-performance output transformer which can feed RF power to the load at high efficiency. The output transformer having a primary-to-secondary winding ratio of 2 to 1 was used by the inverter to drive the megasonic transducer. Based on the analysis of the impedance characteristics of the load, two types of MOSFET dc-to-RF power inverters, a full-bridge version and a single-ended version, were designed and built. These power inverters were put into practical use in cleaners. The power conversion efficiency was greater than 80% for the full-bridge version at an output of approximately 600 W and 50% for the single-ended version at an output power of approximately 600 W. When the megasonic transducer was operated with an input power of 600 W. the operation was satisfactory     

Online tuning method of stator and rotor resistances in both motoring and regenerating operations for vector‐controlled induction machines

The vector control of induction motors is widely used. This method needs accurate motor parameter but the stator and rotor resistance vary due to motor temperature variation. If the value of resistance in the controller can be set up accurately at first, there must be a difference between the reference and real value of torque because of drift of the resistance. It is necessary to adapt the resistance value. The indirect field‐oriented control of an induction motor requires the value of rotor resistance only, but the direct field‐oriented control method with rotor flux observer requires the value of not only rotor resistance but also stator resistance in the controller. Consequently, it is necessary to adapt both stator resistance and rotor resistance. A parameter adaptation scheme has previously been proposed for the direct field‐oriented control method with rotor flux observer, but this method cannot be used when the motor is in regenerating operation. In this paper, a new stator and rotor resistance adaptation scheme is proposed, which can be applied when the motor is in regenerating operation. The usefulness of the proposed adaptation scheme is confirmed by simulation. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 135(1): 56–64, 2001     

Interaction control between endohedral metallofullerene and metal substrate by introducing alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer

The interaction control between endohedral metallofullerenes and a metal substrate has been demonstrated by introducing hexanethiol, octanethiol, and decanethiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) as the interlayer. We observe the electric properties of terbium endohedral metallofullerenes (Tb@C82) on alkanethiol SAMs with different chain lengths by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS). Based on the comparison of the high-resolution STM images of a Tb@C82 molecule on hexanethiol and octanethiol SAMs, the interaction between Tb@C82 and a hexanethiol SAM is found to be larger than that between Tb@C82 and an octanethiol SAM; this is because at 68 K, the rotational states of Tb@C82 terminate only on the hexanethiol SAM. Furthermore, we find that the tunneling current-voltage characteristics of Tb@C82 on the hexanethiol SAM show the rectifying effects that are also caused by the molecular energy level shifts of Tb@C82 molecules due to the large interaction.     

A novel PCR method for quantification of buckwheat by using a unique internal standard material

A novel quantitative and specific method for detection of buckwheat, a known food allergen, in diverse food materials was developed by using a unique internal standard to compensate for the variability in DNA extraction and amplification efficiencies. The method was based on a real-time PCR targeting the internal transcribed spacer region of Fagopyrum spp. and was designed to detect both cultivated and wild buckwheat, because wild buckwheat might be potentially allergenic. As the internal standard material, ground seeds of statice (Limonium sinuatum) were added to food samples prior to DNA extraction, and the amount of statice DNA measured by real-time PCR was used to standardize the buckwheat content. Statice, an ornamental plant, was chosen as the internal standard material because it was readily available and was inferred to be least likely to be commingled in foods. The specificity of the PCR system was tested against commonly used food materials of plant origin. Quantitative results expressed in buckwheat protein concentrations (mean +/- standard deviation) for various food samples prepared to contain 10 ppm (wt/wt) of buckwheat flour (corresponding to 1.2-microg/g [ppm] buckwheat protein) ranged from 0.7 +/- 0.2 (rice) to 0.9 +/- 0.4 (wheat) and for 100-ppm (wt/wt) samples (12-microg/g [ppm] buckwheat protein) from 7.7 +/- 1.0 (pepper) to 9.8 +/- 0.5 (wheat) microg/g (ppm). The method's accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were considered sufficient for detection of buckwheat contamination at the level required for compliance with the Japanese Food Allergen Labeling Regulation.     

Quantification of SOFC anode microstructure based on dual beam FIB-SEM technique

The three-dimensional microstructure of an SOFC anode is quantified using a dual beam focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) system equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) unit. The microstructure of the Ni-YSZ anode is virtually reconstructed in a computational field using a series of acquired two-dimensional SEM images. The three-phase boundary (TPB) density and tortuosity factors are carefully evaluated by applying two different evaluation methods to each parameter. The TPB density is estimated by a volume expansion method and a centroid method, while the tortuosity factors are evaluated by a random walk calculation and a lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). Estimates of each parameter obtained by the two methods are in good agreement with each other, thereby validating the reliability of the analysis methods proposed in this study.