Synthesis and Photoluminescence of Eu2+-Doped α-Silicon Nitride Nanowires Coated with Thin BN Film

A feasible doping strategy is introduced to synthesize Eu²⁺-doped α-Si₃N₄ nanowires coated with a thin BN film. The nanowires were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and a fluorescence spectrophotometer. The Eu²⁺-doped α-Si₃N₄ nanowires emitted strong yellow light, which is related to the 4 f ⁶5 d –4 f ⁷ transition of Eu²⁺, upon a broad excitation wavelength range between 250 and 450 nm. The obtained nanowires provided a potential candidate for application in optical nanodevices, as well as in white LEDs.     

Thermal and Electric Properties in Hot-Pressed ZrB2–MoSi2–SiC Composites

The thermal and electrical properties of MoSi₂ and/or SiC-containing ZrB₂-based composites and the effects of MoSi₂ and SiC contents were examined in hot-pressed ZrB₂–MoSi₂–SiC composites. The thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity of the ZrB₂–MoSi₂–SiC composites were measured at room temperature by a nanoflash technique and a current–voltage method, respectively. The results indicate that the thermal and electrical conductivities of ZrB₂–MoSi₂–SiC composites are dependent on the amount of MoSi₂ and SiC. The thermal conductivities observed for all of the compositions were more than 75 W·(m·K)⁻¹. A maximum conductivity of 97.55 W·(m·K)⁻¹ was measured for the 20 vol% MoSi₂-30 vol% SiC-containing ZrB₂ composite. On the other hand, the electrical conductivities observed for all of the compositions were in the range from 4.07 × 10–8.11 × 10 Ω⁻¹·cm⁻¹.     

基于魏格纳分布的鼓泡流化床中结焦早期诊断

An experimental verification is reported on the early predicting index of agglomeration in bubbling fluidized bed. Coarse quartz sand, which has the same density but larger diameter than the bed material, was used to simulate the initial agglomerated particle. Wigner distribution was used to analyze the pressure fuctuation of the tested bed, and the average amplitude of local domain frequency （LDF） and local peak weighted average frequency （LPWA） under different operating conditions were measured and compared. The results showed that the LDF is sensitive to the agglomeration phenomena and had quick response to the incipient agglomeration in fluidized beds. It can be concluded from the results that these two parameters could be taken as the characteristic indexes to the agglomeration in fuidized beds.     

Mixing speed-controlled gold nanoparticle synthesis with pulsed mixing microfluidic system

Gold nanoparticles with diameters of a few tens of nanometer and a narrow size distribution were synthesized using a pulsed mixing method with a microfluidic system which consists of a Y-shaped mixing microchannel and two piezoelectric valveless micropumps. This mixing method enables control of the mixing speed of gold salts and reducing agent by changing the switching frequency of the micropumps, which was our focus to improve the particle size distribution, which is an essential parameter in gold nanoparticle synthesis. In the proposed method, the mixing time was inversely proportional to the switching frequency and the minimum mixing time was 95 ms at a switching frequency of 200 Hz. During synthesis experiments, the mean diameter of the synthesized gold nanoparticles was found to increase, and the coefficient of variation of particle size was found to decrease with decreasing mixing time. We successfully improved the coefficient of variation to less than 10% for a mean diameter of around 40 nm.     

Mercury oxidation by hydrochloric acid over TiO2 supported metal oxide catalysts in coal combustion flue gas

Mercury oxidation by hydrochloric acid over the metal oxides supported by anatase type TiO₂ catalysts, 1 wt.% MO_x/TiO₂ where M = V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, and Mo, was investigated by the Hg⁰ oxidation and the NO reduction measurements both in the presence and absence of NH₃. The catalysts were characterized by BET surface area measurement and Raman spectroscopy. The metal oxides added to the catalyst were observed to disperse well on the TiO₂ surface. For all catalysts studied, the Hg⁰ oxidation by hydrochloric acid was confirmed to proceed. The activity of the catalysts was found to follow the trend MoO₃ ~ V₂O₅ > Cr₂O₃ > Mn₂O₃ > Fe₂O₃ > CuO > NiO. The Hg⁰ oxidation activity of all catalysts was depressed considerably by adding NH₃ to the reactant stream. This suggests that the metal oxide catalysts undergo the inhibition effect by NH₃. The activity trend of the Hg⁰ oxidation in the presence of NH₃ was different from that observed in its absence. A good correlation was found between the NO reduction and the Hg⁰ oxidation activities in the NH₃ present condition. The catalyst having high NO reduction activity such as V₂O₅/TiO₂ showed high Hg⁰ oxidation activity. The result obtained in this study suggests that the oxidation of Hg⁰ proceeds through the reaction mechanism, in which HCl competes for the active catalyst sites against NH₃. NH₃ adsorption may predominate over the adsorption of HCl in the presence of NH₃.     

Deposition of DLC film with adhesive W-DLC layer on stainless steel and its tribological properties

Tribological properties of a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating with an adhesive tungsten-containing DLC (W-DLC) layer were investigated. The coatings were deposited onto AISI316L steel substrates and Si wafers using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and tungsten co-sputtering of the metal target. Methane and argon gases were used as the precursor of the coatings. In this study, three types of coatings were evaluated: DLC/W-DLC on AISI316L (DLC-1), DLC/W-DLC on Si wafer (DLC-2), and DLC on Si wafer (DLC-3). The structural characterizations were performed by transmission electron microscopy and tapping mode atomic force microscopy. At the boundary between the W-DLC layer and the AISI316L substrate, microscopic decohesion or delamination was not observed. The surface roughness of the DLC-1 coating was greater than that of the DLC-2 coating. This feature was derived from the surface roughness of the initial surface of the AISI316L substrate. Friction tests were performed using a rotation-type ball-on-flat configuration tribometer. The observed friction of the DLC-1 coating was unstable compared with the DLC-2 or DLC-3 coatings. This was due to wear debris which had risen to the friction surface resulting in unstable friction on the DLC-1 coating. During the friction studies, the top DLC layer was removed from the adhesive W-DLC layer because the adhesive strength at this part was not enough. In order to achieve the low and stable friction of the DLC coating with the W-DLC layer on AISI316L, it is necessary to improve the smoothness of the surface and the adhesion between the DLC coating and the W-DLC layer.     

Polymerization of styrene with a simple rare earth metal initiator

The catalytic activity in the polymerization of styrene has been examined using commercially available simple rare earth metal compounds such as Sm(OiPr)₃, Sm(acac)₃, Sm(OCOMe)₃, SmI₂(THF)₂ or SmCl₃ coupled with Et₃Al or methylaluminoxane (MAO). Among these compounds, the Sm(OiPr)₃/AlEt₃ system shows the highest catalytic activity, especially in the presence of a minor amount of toluene at 60 °C. The random copolymerization of styrene with methyl methacrylate suggests that the present polymerization proceeds with a radical polymerization mechanism. (C₅Me₅)SmCl₃Na(THF) and (C₅Me₅)SmCl₃Li(THF) systems exhibit relatively low catalytic activity, even in the presence of AlEt₃. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of PbTiO 3 Seed Layer on the Characteristics of RF-Sputtered Pb(Zr 0.5 ,Ti 0.5 )O 3 Thin Films

The effects of seed layers on the characteristics of rf-sputtered lead zirconium titanate thin films were investigated. Prior to sputtering, PbTiO 3 seed layers (100 nm) were deposited onto the Pt/Ti/Si and Pt/Si substrates by sol-gel (spin coating) processing method. Structure-property relation was studied as functions of substrate temperature and sputtering conditions. Special efforts were given in optimizing the deposition parameters to prepare the films in the perovskite phase without post deposition annealing. Dielectric constant and loss tangent of the films were in the range 800-950 and 0.04 -0.06, respectively. Remanent polarization and coercive field were 23.1 w C/cm 2 and 75kV/cm, respectively, for the films without PbTiO 3 seed layer, where as the corresponding quantities for in situ -deposited perovskite Pb(Zr, Ti)O 3 films on PbTiO 3 seed layer were 28 w C/cm 2 and 65 kV/cm, respectively.     

In vitro formation and thermal transition of novel hybrid fibrils from type I fish scale collagen and type I porcine collagen

Novel type I collagen hybrid fibrils were fabricated by neutralizing a mixture of type I fish scale collagen solution and type I porcine collagen solution with a phosphate buffer saline at 28 °C. Their structure was discussed in terms of the volume ratio of fish/porcine collagen solution. Scanning electron and atomic force micrographs showed that the diameter of collagen fibrils derived from the collagen mixture was larger than those derived from each collagen, and all resultant fibrils exhibited a typical D-periodic unit of ∼67 nm, irrespective of volume ratio of both collagens. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed only one endothermic peak for the fibrils derived from collagen mixture or from each collagen solution, indicating that the resultant collagen fibrils were hybrids of type I fish scale collagen and type I porcine collagen.     

Preliminary spectrum shifter design for intermediate energy nuclear data benchmark experiments with DT neutrons

Integral benchmark experiments with DT neutrons are not always sufficient for nuclear data benchmarking in the MeV region, below 10 MeV. A neutron spectrum shifter, which will be placed between a sample and a DT neutron source, is effective to moderate DT neutrons incident to the sample. In order to estimate effects of the spectrum shifter, the ratio of the contribution of 14 MeV neutrons in the leakage neutron and gamma-ray spectra was calculated with MCNP-4C for an experimental configuration at FNS of JAEA, Japan. The calculations were carried out for a Li₂TiO₃ sample with a Be, D₂O, or ⁷LiD spectrum shifter. It was found out that the Be shifter was superior to others and the Be shifter was effective to decrease the contribution of 14 MeV neutrons especially for secondary gamma-ray spectrum measurements.