Rearrangement of the main chain of the organocobalt polymers

The polymers 3 having pyridine moieties in the main chain were synthesized by the reaction of the organocobalt polymers 1 having cobaltacyclopentadiene moieties in the main chain with various nitriles 2. When brown colored 1 and excess 2 were heated in tetrahydrofuran at 80 °C for 24 h and then at 150 °C for 12 h in a sealed tube, the polymers 3 were obtained by the precipitation with methanol in good yields. From the spectroscopic measurements, the resulting polymers 3 were found to contain 35 – 90% of the pyridine moieties depending on the structures of 1. Received: 7 July 1997/Revised: 14 August 1997/Accepted: 25 August 1997     

Digital evidence discovery of networked multimedia smart devices based on social networking activities

Unquestionably, networked multimedia smart devices are commonly adopted in contemporary ubiquitous wireless computing era with unprecedented evolving pace in terms of mobility, portability, and pervasiveness. Regrettably, those technology-oriented gadgets are phenomenally exploited by cyber criminals or get involved in computer-related incidents unknowingly. Substantively, the detection, prevention, and the related digital forensics of the above scenarios are becoming tremendously urgent both in public and private sectors. Therefore, in this research, we investigate the scenario when state-of-the-art wireless communication technologies are integrated with the networked smart devices where digital evidences may exist and they could be disclosed when appropriate standard operating procedures are suitably applied. Accordingly, in this paper, a PDA with the built-in GPS navigation functionality via the ubiquitous Wi-Fi connection to a popular social networking platform (facebook) is cross examined concerning the related digital evidence collecting and discovering in terms of revealing previous facebook user accounts on the mobile device without shutting off the power. The research provides a generic framework for the digital forensics specialists to contemplate when the networked smart devices are involved in the related criminal investigation cases especially when omnipresent social networking platforms are becoming the new avenue for the escalating, stringent, and heinous cybercrimes.     

Changes in pore properties of phenol formaldehyde-based carbon with carbonization and oxidation conditions

Porous carbon beads were prepared by carbonizing at 700 and 1000 °C under N₂ (NN-series) or CO₂ atmospheres (CO-series) and a subsequent oxidization with boiling nitric acid solution (13%, v/v) for 3 h (ANN- and ACO-series). BET surface area of both CO- and NN-series samples tends to increase with increasing carbonization temperature, but CO-series samples show higher BET surface areas (700 °C: 610 m²/g, 1000 °C: 780 m²/g) compared with those of NN-series samples (700 °C: 380 m²/g, 1000 °C: 580 m²/g). After acid oxidation, BET surface areas of NN-series samples increased from 580 to 650 m²/g, whereas those of CO-series samples decreased from 780 to 600 m²/g. On subsequent acid oxidation, acidic surface functional groups increased in both CO- and NN-series samples, but the CO-series samples tend to have much more acidic surface functional groups. Adsorption of halogenated methanes, such as tetra-, tri- and dichloromethanes, onto the samples of CO-, NN-, ACO- and ANN-series was thought to be driven initially by the basicity, but the acidic functional groups that could attract adsorbates via dipole-dipole interaction might hinder the adsorption of subsequently incoming adsorbates.     

Magnetic mechanical capsule robot for multiple locomotion mechanisms

This paper proposes a magnetic mechanical capsule robot which crawls in a fluid-filled tube. The developed capsule robot employs two locomotion mechanisms simultaneously. It has spiral ribs at both ends, which are rotated by a small on-board motor. Such rotating spiral structures generate a driving force of the capsule robot. We invented a magnetic mechanical mechanism to transfer the rotational motion of the frontal part into the linear motion of the middle part. Using this original mechanism, the linearly moving part at the middle of the capsule robot generates a supportive driving force. The improved mobility is evaluated in experiments. The developed capsule robot employing multiple locomotion mechanisms moves 44% faster than the spiral motion-based capsule robot. The developed magnetic mechanical mechanism and the mobile robotic platform could be used for pipe inspection robots or medical robots.     

Chaotic fluid mixing by alternating microparticle topologies to enhance biochemical reactions

We report experimental results on chaotic mass transport induced by alternating topological changes of magnetic particle chains actuated by a rotating magnetic field. Results on the induced fluid flows, through particle tracing experiments and mixing experiments, are obtained for (1) the regime of rigid chain rotation and (2) the regime wherein chains periodically fragment and reform. In the case of rigid rotating chains, the overall tracer particle trajectories are steady, slightly modulated circles around the center of the microparticle chains. In the regime of periodic chain breaking and reformation, the tracer particle trajectories become chaotic. The level of mixing is measured by using a mixing index (M) in a water–dye system, i.e., in a perfectly mixed system M = 0, while in an unmixed system M = 1. When particle chains periodically break and reform, we observe that the mixing index M decreases from 1 to 0.1 within 15 rotational cycles. For rigid rotating chains, M reaches a minimum of only 0.5. We also report the effect of the different actuation regimes on a biological binding reaction in the solution and indeed found that the reaction product (at equal actuation time) is significantly enhanced (3 times) by the dynamic chain regime as compared to the rigid chain regime. We conclude that the alternating topological change of microparticle chains—with repetitive chain breakup and chain reformation—is an effective mechanism to achieve chaotic mixing and thereby promote and homogenize reactions in lab-on-a-chip systems.     

Leakage current in a Si-based nanopore structure and its influence on noise characteristics

We have measured leakage current in a silicon substrate-based nanopore membrane device immersed in an aqueous environment which typically shows the current level of few nA. This current level is compared with the measured current density (400 nA/cm² at 1 V) from the pristine Si wafer (p-type, 10¹⁶/cm³ boron doping) indicating that the exposed Si surface in a nanopore membrane device acts as an electrochemical reaction site. The leakage current is drastically reduced from >10 nA to <100 pA at 1 V by the deposition of a dielectric layer to the Si-based nanopore membrane device. We also noted that the root-mean-square noise of the ionic current is also reduced from 38 to 28 pA in correlation with the reduction of leakage current, indicating that electrochemical reaction provides one of the major sources of noise.     

Influence of amorphous silica on the hydration of tricalcium aluminate

Amorphous silica influences tricalcium aluminate (C₃A) hydration both in pastes and in suspensions. Two heat peaks are found by isothermal calorimetry during the paste hydration of C₃A. The addition of amorphous silica causes the second heat peak to shift towards shorter reaction times and become more pronounced. In suspensions, the change in ion concentration in the water phase is not influenced by the presence of amorphous silica except that the change in concentration occurs more quickly. Quantitative X-ray analysis shows that more 3CaO.Al₂O₃.6H₂O is present in suspensions containing amorphous silica than in silica-free suspensions at equal hydration times.     

Effectiveness test of alginate‐derived polymeric surfactants

A series of alginate‐derived polymeric surfactants (APSs) with a linear alkyl group (C8, C12, C16) was synthesized by oxidation followed by reductive amination of 2,3‐dialdehydic alginate. The products were characterized by measuring IR spectra, NMR spectra, surface tension and critical micelle concentration (cmc). They were also tested for the solubilization of azobenzene and adsorption of heavy metal. In the case of 40% CHO‐C8 APSs, the lowest interfacial tension value (31.5 m Nm^?1) was obtained at the cmc value of 1.35 g dm^?3. The dissolving capacity of 40% CHO‐C8 APS towards azobenzene was 27 times greater than that of alginate. The overall cobalt (Co²⁺) removal efficiency by adsorption using APSs was high compared with that of sodium alginate at pH 3, 5 and 7. Equilibrium aspects of cobalt adsorption onto 10% CHO‐APSs were studied, and the results show that APSs had high equilibrium capacities for cobalt uptake, 115.5 mgg^?1. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Preparation and characterization of modified starch‐based plastic film reinforced with short pulp fiber. II. Mechanical properties

Native corn starch‐ and hydroxypropylated starch (HPS‐) based plastic films were prepared using the short pulp fiber as the reinforcement and the glycerol as the plasticizer. The results of tensile test showed that the strain and stress at break and elastic modulus increased with pulp content. With glycerol content, the strain at break increased considerably, but the breaking stress and elastic modulus decreased. And the stress–strain curves showed that the brittleness problem of films was overcome by the pulp, glycerol, and water content. The hydroxypropyl starch films showed results similar to those of the native starch films. The results of the three‐point bending test showed that maximum deflection, flexural strength, and specific work increased with pulp content, but the flexural modulus was the highest at a pulp content of 20%. And with the glycerol content, the maximum deflection and specific work of rupture increased, but the bending elastic modulus decreased. The hydroxypropyl starch films showed results similar to those of native starch films as far as the maximum deflection and flexural strength were concerned, but the bending elastic modulus and specific work of the hydroxypropyl starch films were considerably lower than those of starch films. So it was concluded that the flexibility of films was improved by the hydroxypropylation. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 2108–2117, 2003     

Advanced underfill for high thermal reliability

The key to the success of flip‐chip technology lies in the availability of sucessful underfill materials. However, the reliability of flip‐chip technology using current underfill materials is generally found to be lower than that of conventional wire‐bond connection packaging materials such as epoxy molding compound (EMC) because of the high coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) and moisture absorption of cured underfill material. In this study desbimide (DBMI), which has a low melting point (about 80°C), was used in the underfill materials as a cohardener. As a result, DBMI‐added underfill can show excellent thermal reliability, which is due to the superior properties of the CTE, the elastic modulus, and water resistance. When the properties of a 2 wt % DBMI‐added underfill were compared with those of a typical underfill (epoxy/anhydride), the CTE value was reduced to less than one‐half at the solder reflow temperature (about 200°C), the elastic modulus was reduced to less than one‐half in the temperature region below the glass‐transition temperature, and the water resistance was improved twofold. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 2617–2624, 2002