Hardening of Al-Cu-Mg alloy by energetic ion irradiation

We irradiated Al-Cu-Mg alloy with 10 MeV iodine ions at room temperature and measured the surface microhardness. We analyzed the microstructure using a three-dimensional atom probe. Irradiation for 3.5 h led to an increase in hardness comparable to that obtained after 4 days of aging at 423 K. Precipitates of about 2.9 nm in diameter were distributed homogeneously over the irradiated region. The nanometer-sized precipitates produced by the irradiation caused a remarkable increase in hardness.     

Low-Temperature Synthesis of β-Ca2SiO4 from Hillebrandite

Experiments on hydrothermal synthesis were conducted using quartz or silicic acid and lime as starting materials at Ca/Si = 2.0. It is possible to synthesize pure hillebrandite (Ca₂(SiO₃)(OH)₂) having the theoretical composition by heating at 200°C for 10 h or at 250°C for 5 h. The synthesized product is fibrous, open at each end, and has a length of 20 to 30 μm. Calcium silicate hydrate gels are produced at the initial stage of the reaction. These react further with the unreacted lime to give hillebrandite. However, when silicic acid is used as silica, hillebrandite with tricalcium silicate hydrate is observed at 250°C because of the high reaction rate of silica. On heating, hillebrandite starts to decompose at about 500°C and produces low-crystalline β-Ca₂SiO₄, which is stable at room temperature and has a remarkably large specific surface area of about 7 m²/g. The decomposition reaction rate in a single crystal is rapid, and the reaction is considered to proceed topotactically.     

The High-Resolution X-Ray Microcalorimeter Spectrometer, SXS, on Astro-H

The science and an overview of the Soft X-ray Spectrometer onboard the STRO-H mission are presented. The SXS consists of X-ray focusing mirrors and a microcalorimeter array and is developed by international collaboration lead by JAXA and NASA with European participation. The detector is a 6×6 format microcalorimeter array operated at a cryogenic temperature of 50 mK and covers a 3′×3′ field of view of the X-ray telescope of 5.6 m focal length. We expect an energy resolution better than 7 eV (FWHM, requirement) with a goal of 4 eV. The effective area of the instrument will be 225 cm² at 7 keV; by a factor of about two larger than that of the X-ray microcalorimeter on board Suzaku. One of the main scientific objectives of the SXS is to investigate turbulent and/or macroscopic motions of hot gas in clusters of galaxies.     

Synthesis of Calcium Silicate Hydrate with Ca/Si = 2 by Mechanochemical Treatment

An amorphous, C-S-H-like phase with Ca/Si = 2 was synthesized from amorphous precipitated silica, calcium oxide, and water by mechanochemical treatment using a vibration mill at room temperature. The product was studied by XRD, ²⁹Si MASNMR, TEM, analytical TEM, and TGA-DTA. After 14 h of treatment, the starting materials react to form an amorphous phase (C-S-H-like phase). The XRD pattern of C-S-H-like phase resembles the C-S-H formed hydrothermally or by cement hydration except it has no reflection at 0.182 nm. The ²⁹Si NMR results revealed a silicate anion structure of C-S-H-like phase consisting mainly of a mixture of a monomer and a dimer. On heating, the C-S-H-like phase decomposed into β-dicalcium silicate below 1000°C.     

Design guideline for minimum channel length in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MOSFET

This brief proposes a preliminary design guideline for the minimum channel length in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MOSFETs that is based on simulations of device characteristics. The simulations examine a wide variation in many device parameters to comprehensively evaluate device characteristics. A characteristic parameter that can successfully describe the minimum channel length is found. It is suggested that a sub-20-nm-channel single-gate SOI MOSFET with suppressed short-channel effects can be stably realized by optimizing its device parameters.     

Design of an energy storage flywheel system using permanent magnet bearing (PMB) and superconducting magnetic bearing (SMB)

We propose a new energy storage flywheel system using a superconducting magnetic bearing (SMB) and a permanent magnet bearing (PMB). The superconducting magnetic bearing (SMB) suppresses the vibrations of the flywheel rotor. And the permanent magnet bearing (PMB) passively controls the rotor position. The energy storage flywheel system is characterized by using the two different type magnetic bearings of permanent magnet bearing (PMB) and superconducting magnetic bearing (SMB). This paper, discusses the design of the permanent magnet bearing (PMB) and the dynamics of the new energy storage flywheel system.     

Xonotlite: Cell parameters,thermogravimetry and analytical electron microscopy

These methods were used to study 15 synthetic and natural xonotlites. The results indicate that xonotlite tends to be defective in Ca, charge balance being maintained by incorporation of additional H atoms, which are attached to the silicate anion. This tendency increases as the temperature of preparation decreases. A?-free xonotlites show only small, barely significant variability in cell parameters, but A?-substitution causes distinct changes.     

Spectroscopic Measurement of L X-rays Emitted by Transuranium Elements by Using TES Microcalorimeter

Energy spectra of L X-rays emitted by \(^{237}\) Np and uranium isotopes progenies of \(^{241}\) Am and plutonium isotopes were measured by a transition edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeter for demonstration of peak separation with high energy resolution. L X-ray photons emitted by transuranium (TRU) elements can to be utilized for a nondestructive TRU monitor. Major L X-ray peaks are clearly distinguished in the energy spectrum of L X-rays obtained by the simultaneous measurement for radiation sources of \(^{241}\) Am and plutonium isotopes. The value of full width at half maximum energy resolution is 60.21 eV for a peak corresponding to Np L \(_{\beta 1}\) X -rays of 17.751 keV in \(^{241}\) Am source measurement. Comparable energy resolutions were obtained in other experiments. This measurement demonstrated separation of \(^{241}\) Am and plutonium isotopes by L X-ray spectroscopy using TES microcalorimeter.