Polymer film-type channel electron multipliers: Their characteristics and comparison with bulk-type flexible multipliers

Polymer film-type channel electron multipliers (CEMs) were developed and their characteristics investigated in comparison with bulk-type flexible CEM. As film-type CEMs, a paint-coating-type CEM and a solvent-etching-type CEM were fabricated. The paint-coating-type CEM is made by coating a “paint” which is prepared by dissolving in a solvent an electronically conductive polymeric composition having a high secondary electron emission yield. Up to the present study the mean gain of the film-type CEM, in spite of the lower resistivity of the dynode, seems to be slightly more dependent on the count rate than that of the bulk-type CEM made of the same material. However, the convenience of fabricating the dynode film by coating the dynode-forming paint on the internal surface of any shaped tube or a flexible polymer tube would overcome the slight disadvantage mentioned above.     

High performance liquid chromatographic separation of diacylglycerol acetates to quantitate disaturated species of lung phosphatidylcholine

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) separation of diacylglycerol acetates to quantitatite disaturated species of lung phosphatidylcholine (PC) was studied. The diacylglycerol acetates were applied on a reversed phase column, eluted by an isocratic solvent, acetonitrile/isopropanol/water (35:15:1, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 1 ml/min, and detected by differential refractometry (RI). This isocratic HPLC method was useful to separate disaturated species from the others of lung PC. The quantitative analysis of the molecular species separated by HPLC was studied by RI detection. Chroamtograms obtained by RI detection and radioactivity determination of diacylglycerol [³H]acetates prepared by [³H]acetic anhydride were almost identical. The RI detector responsed in the same degree for different, authentic standards of diacylglycerol acetates. The detection limit with RI detection was about 30 nmoles. Molecular species of PCs from human lung and carcinoma tissues were analyzed by this HPLC method. The contents of disaturated species were very similar to those reported previously. These results indicate that RI detection is very useful in the nmole range for the quantitative analysis among the molecular species containing disaturated species.     

Biomimetic ion-channel sensors based on host-guest molecular recognition in Langmuir-Blodgett membrane assemblies

Biomimetic “ion-channel sensors” based on host-guest molecular recognition were constructed by incorporating several kinds of receptor molecules in Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) molecular assemblies deposited directly on glassy carbon electrodes. The receptors used were valinomycin, bis(crown ether)s, macrocyclic polyamine and cyclodextrin polyamine. The binding of charged stimulants (metal ions, inorganic and organic anions) to these receptors induced a marked increase (or decrease) in the ion permeability of the membranes, as detected by cyclic voltammetry using [Fe(CN)₆]^4- or [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ as marker ion. Such a mode of response, corresponding to model “channel opening (or closing)”, can be explained on the basis of the charge-charge interaction involving the stimulant, marker ion and lipid.     

Portable sick house syndrome gas monitoring system based on novel colorimetric reagents for the highly selective and sensitive detection of formaldehyde

Formaldehyde (HCHO) emitted from the furniture and the walls in the rooms injures the eyes, nose, and respiratory organs and causes allergies, which is called sick house syndrome. We designed and synthesized novel colorimetric HCHO-sensing molecules (KD-XA01 and KD-XA02) which possess an enaminone structure and developed a hand-held instrument to monitor indoor HCHO gas with the use of KD-XA01. These sensing molecules produced speedy color changes from colorless to yellow under mild conditions, which was caused by the fact that the enaminone structure in the reagent reacts with HCHO to give a lutidine derivative. This reaction took place not only in the solution phase but also in the solid phase (surface of the cellulose paper). To take advantage of this phenomena, a handy and rapid monitoring system has been developed for detecting indoor HCHO gas using a highly sensitive and selective detection tablet constructed from the porous cellulose paper that contains silica gel as an adsorbent, KD-XA01, and phosphoric acid under optimum conditions. This instrument detected the surface color change of the tablet from white to yellow, which was monitored as a function of the intensity of the reflected light illuminated by an LED (475 nm). The response was proportional to the HCHO concentration at a constant sampling time and flow rate; 0.05 ppm HCHO, which is under the standard value set by the World Health Organization, was able to be detected in 5 min. The detection limit was 0.005 ppm. This monitoring system was not interfered by carbonyl compounds such as acetaldehyde and acetone, alcohols, hydrocarbons, and typical gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, etc., which contributes to the measurement of correct HCHO concentrations. It was possible to monitor the HCHO gas in the room of a new apartment and school using this instrument; the response values were in good agreement with those obtained by the standard DNPH method. This highly sensitive, selective, and handy HCHO gas monitor is widely applicable and convenient for users who are not specialists in this field.     

High-Temperature Active Oxidation of Chemically Vapor-Deposited Silicon Carbide in CO─CO2 Atmosphere

Active oxidation behavior of CVD-SiC in CO─CO₂ atmospheres was investigated using a thermogravimetric technique in the temperature range between 1823 and 1923 K. The gas pressure ratio, P _CO2/ P _CO, was controlled between 10⁻⁴ and 10⁻¹ at 0.1 MPa. Active oxidation rates (mass loss rates) showed maxima at a certain value of P _CO2/ P _CO, ( P _CO2/ P _CO )^*, In a P _CO2/ P _CO region lower than the ( P _CO2/ P _CO)^* a carbon layer was formed on the SiC surface. In a P _CO2/ P _CO region higher than the ( P _CO2/ P _CO)^*, silica particles or a porous silica layer was observed on the SiC surface.     

NH3／H2O2溶液腐蚀下多孔硅光致荧光

用光致荧光谱、傅里叶变换红外光谱（ＦＴＩＲ）和扫描电子显微镜（ＳＥＭ）对用阳极氧化法制成的多孔硅层在１％ＮＨ３／Ｈ２Ｏ２溶液中的腐蚀现象进行了研究。红外分析表明，Ｓｉ－Ｏ键和Ｈ－Ｏ键的强度随ＮＨ３／Ｈ２Ｏ２溶液的腐蚀时间的增加而增加，Ｓｉ－Ｈ键强主匠随腐蚀时间增加而减少。光致荧光谱的峰值在腐蚀开始时先下降后上升，半高宽变窄，谱峰的以边明显蓝移。分析研究表明，１％ＮＨ３／Ｈ２Ｏ２溶液对多孔硅层有腐蚀     

Ceramic fibres from polymer precursor containing Si-O-Ti bonds

Polycarbosilanes containing titanium alkoxide as pendant groups (atom ratio Ti/Si = 0.07 and 0.15) were synthesized. These polymers were melt-spun and then heat-treated in a vacuum, in oxygen or ammonia gas flow, resulting in Si-Ti-C-O, Si-Ti-0 and Si-Ti-O-N fibres, respectively. The pyrolysis process of the polymer is discussed in connection with the mechanical properties and the structure of the fibre. At high heat-treatment temperatures, -SiC and TiC (in Si-Ti-C-O fibre), anatase (in Si-Ti-O fibre) and TiN (in Si-Ti-O-N fibre) crystallized, which may be closely related to the decomposition of the Si-O-Ti bond in the fibre.     

Calcium oxide/carbon dioxide reactivity in a packed bed reactor of a chemical heat pump for high-temperature gas reactors

The thermal performance of a chemical heat pump that uses a calcium oxide/carbon dioxide reaction system was discussed as a heat storage system for utilizing heat output from high temperature gas reactors (HTGR). Calcium oxide/carbon dioxide reactivity for the heat pump was measured using a packed bed reactor containing 1.0 kg of reactant. The reactor was capable of storing heat at 900 °C by decarbonation of calcium carbonate and generating up to 997 °C by carbonation of calcium oxide. The amount of stored heat in the reactor was 800–900 kJ kg⁻¹. The output temperature of the reactor could be controlled by regulating the carbonation pressure. The thermal storage performance of the reactor was superior to that of conventional sensible heat storage systems. A heat pump using this CaO/CO₂ reactor is expected to contribute to thermal load leveling and to realize highly efficient utilization of HTGR output due to the high heat storage density and high-quality temperature output of the heat pump.     

Low cycle fatigue behaviors of elbow pipe with local wall thinning

Low cycle fatigue tests were conducted using 100A elbow specimens made of STPT410 carbon steel with local wall thinning. Local wall thinning by erosion/corrosion was simulated by machined pipe wall thinning. The local wall thinning areas were located at three different areas, called extrados, crown and intrados. The elbow specimens were subjected to cyclic in-plane bending under displacement control without internal pressure. The effects of eroded conditions, such as eroded ratio, eroded angle and position, on the low cycle fatigue behavior and fatigue life were discussed by using experimental results and finite element analyses. Also the location of crack initiation and the crack growth direction could be predicted by three dimensional elasto-plastic finite element analyses. In addition, the safety margin of eroded elbows against seismic loading was discussed by comparing the fictitious stress of elbows with the allowable stress limit demanded by the design code.     

Transformation of Lower Alkanes into Aromatic Hydrocarbons over ZSM-5 Zeolites

Much attention has been paid to the transformation of lower alkanes such as propane and butanes into aromatic hydrocarbons from both industrial and academic points of view. The aromatic hydrocarbons can be utilized as a booster for high octane number gasoline and are fundamental raw chemicals in petroleum chemistry. The activation of lower alkanes is an intriguing subject. In early work, Csicsery [1–5] described dehydrocyclodimerization of lower alkanes over bifunctional catalysts such as platinum on alumina and Cr₂O₃ on alumina.