Thermogravimetric Study of the M-Co-O System: I, M = Ta and Nb at 1200°C

Phase equilibria in the Ta-Co-O and Nb-Co-O systems have been studied at 1200°C at oxygen partial pressures from 10^−0.68 to 10^−13.50 atm for the former and from 10^−0.68 to 10^−13.30 atm for the latter. In both systems, M₂CoO₆ and M₂Co₄O₉ are stable ternary compounds under the experimental conditions, and a new phase, Nb₅Co₂O₁₄, has been identified. The Ta-Co-O system is simple, whereas the Nb-Co-O system is somewhat more complicated because of the extra phase. The lattice constants of the ternary compounds have been determined and compared with previous values. The standard Gibbs energies of reactions have been determined using oxygen partial pressures in equilibrium with three solid phases.     

A digital automatic current control system based on an optimumassumed model

In this paper, a new ACR (automatic current regulator) scheme is introduced for brushless DC motors. It consists of a model closely resembling the motor and PWM inverter, an assumed rising pattern of the current, and a parameter estimation. Using the control scheme, the mean value of the motor current is kept at the reference current, and the transient current of the motor is kept equal to the rising pattern. For the disturbance, because of DC-line voltage change, the proportional path from the error to the duty cycle of the PWM signal stabilizes the ACR. This ACR scheme can be realized with a microcomputer     

Ten-user truly asynchronous gigabit OCDMA transmission experiment with a 511-chip SSFBG en/decoder

A ten-user truly asynchronous gigabit coherent-optical-code-division-multiple-access (OCDMA) transmission was experimentally demonstrated without using any timing coordination. The enabling technologies are a record-length 511-chip superstructured-fiber-Bragg-grating (SSFBG) en/decoder and a supercontinuum (SC)-based optical-thresholding technique to significantly suppress the signal interference beat noise as well as the multiple-access-interference (MAI) noise.     

Hydrodynamic interaction and coalescence of two droplets under large step shear strains

We observed change in distance between two droplets in each step after application of large multi-step shear strains. Experiments were performed using a sliding plate apparatus. Large step shear strains were applied to two polyisobutylene droplets in poly(dimethyl siloxane) matrix in the same plane between the plates. The distance between the two droplets decreases with increasing the total shear strain, which is given by the product of the step strain magnitude and the number of application of the step strains. The two droplets coalesce when the distance becomes less than the diameter of the droplets. The slope for plots of the distance versus the total strain is independent of the step strain magnitude. This indicates that the effect per unit strain on the distance is the same, irrespective of the strain magnitude. It is suggested that a stronger hydrodynamic interaction between the droplets is the main cause for the droplet approach.     

Frequency response function of magnetic bearings using high-temperature superconductor

A high-temperature superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x with strong pinning force has allowed stable magnetic suspension with no control to be developed. Two types of superconducting magnetic bearings (SMB) using YBCO and permanent magnet were assembled. The two types are radial and axial. The dynamic stiffness of each SMB as it was cooled down under a magnetic field by liquid nitrogen was measured both radially and axially. As a result, it was found that the spring constants of these SMBs were almost as large as a practically desirable value; however, their damping coefficients were lower than the practical level. These findings are useful as one of the data bases for development of an optimum SMB design to support the weight of rotors in an axial direction.     

Preparation of heterotactic-rich poly(methyl methacrylate) with narrow molecular weight distribution bytert-butyllithium/bis(2,6-di-tert-butylphenoxy)methylaluminum

Summary Polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) withtert-butyllithium (t-C₄H₉Li) in toluene in the presence of aluminum alkoxides such as ethoxide,tert-butoxide and 2,6-di-tert-butylphenoxide, were examined at various Al/Li ratios. In the cases of ethoxide andtert-butoxide, predominantly isotactic polymers with broad molecular weight distribution were obtained. Combinations oft-C₄H₉Li and bis(2,6-ditert-butylphenoxy)methylaluminum [MeAl(ODBP)₂] were found to be an efficient initiating system for heterotactic polymerization of MMA, which gives PMMA rich in heterotactic triads up to 68% with narrow molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn=1.09–1.17). End group analysis by¹H NMR indicated thatt-C₄H₉Li initiates the polymerization and MeAl(ODBP)₂ works as a stereospecific modifier. From stereosequence analysis of the heterotactic PMMA by¹³C NMR, it was found that the calculated pentad fractions from the first-order Markovian statistics (Pm/r=0.742, Pr/m=0.627) fitted the observed ones better than those from Bernoullian statistics. The glass transition temperature of the heterotactic PMMA was 13°C lower than that of syndiotactic PMMA, and the intrinsic viscosity in tetrahydrofuran was close to that of isotactic PMMA with a similar molecular weight but higher than that of syndiotactic PMMA.     

Novel UV absorbers prepared from 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone and hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene

The UV-stabilizing ability and thermal loss from the polystyrene film of novel UV absorbers, 2-[(3-hydroxy-4-benzoyl) phenoxy] pentachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HBPC) and hexakis[ (2-hydroxy-4-benzoyl) phenoxy] cyclotriphosphazene (HBPP), were investigated. The UV-stabilizing ability of HBPC estimated by the formation of carbonyl groups in polystyrene was comparable to that of 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (DHB), suggesting that the phosphazene moiety does not affect the efficiency of the stabilizing ability of DHB units. No significant difference of efficiency per stabilizing units between HBPC and HBPP was observed. HBPC and HBPP are noteworthy for their low thermal losses from the polystyrene film, i.e., the thermal loss of HBPP was completely suppressed and the diffusion coefficient of HBPC at 160°C was two orders of magnitude smaller than that of DHB. The thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry measurement showed that HBPC and HBPP are nonvolatile and stable up to 230 and 300°C, respectively. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

IR reflection spectra of the silicate surface layer of yellowed rice plant leaf

We have investigated the IR reflectional properties of the three-hold cytrogical surface layer (kutchikura layer on silicate layer n(SiO₂) on silicate cellulose layer C₆H₁₀Si_xO_y) and that of chlorophyll, a(C₅₅H₇₂M_gN₄O₅) etc., present in bladder's cells by using our experimental method. From analysis of three set of anisotropical reflection spectra assigned as due to CO, SiO and NC surface oscillators contained in the cytrogical cells and measured at 2500 2200 cm^?1, 1200 700 cm^?1 and at 700 200 cm^?1 regions, we have confirmed some important results. One is their quantized directional distributions that of the numbers of fine step spectrum and that of the reflection integrals of these spectra. Here, that of the NC oscillators were found to distribute in pentagonal directions relating to the molecular structure of chlorophyll. Second, we confirmed the pecularity of eight fine step-series measured in these sensitive spectra comparing with that of bamboo's seven series. Third, from analysis of the stepnized variation of the “reflection integrals”, we estimated the origin of this effect as which is presumably due to statistical, transfer of the 2p₄ valence electrons etc. in the oxygen atoms from C=O, Si=O double bonding side upto the shallower quantized states, E(N,J) which were formed softly around the and surface oscillators. And these surface oscillators were confirmed as to make photo-chemical reaction process by receiving energy higher than ～24 m eV especially under the illumination of sunshine etc.     

Synthesis of Sn-Incorporated Folded Sheets Mesoporous Materials (Sn-FSM-16)

Sn-incorporated folded sheets mesoporous materials (Sn-FSM-16) with various contents of Sn were synthesized by using a mixture of water glass, SnCl₄ and NaOH as starting materials. Hexadecyltrimethyl-ammonium chloride (surfactant) was used to intercalate into the layered silicate. The reaction process was followed by measurements of XRD patterns of intermediates. The Sn-FSM-16 was formed via the following mechanism: (1) layered silicates such as - - and -Na₂Si₂O₅ were formed as intermediates by the calcination of the mixture of the starting materials; (2) the surfactant was intercalated into the layered silicates; (3) the surfactant-silicate complex with hexagonal structure was obtained as a precursor of Sn-FSM-16; (4) the precursor was calcined to decompose the surfactant in the interlayer and was changed to Sn-FSM-16. The structural aspect of Sn in Sn-FSM-16 was studied by XPS profiles of Sn 3d _5/2 and Si_2p, ²⁹ Si MAS NMR and FTIR. The content of Sn in Sn-FSM increased with increasing concentrations of both Sn and NaOH in the starting materials. The surface area of Sn-FSM-16 decreased with an increase of Sn content in Sn-FSM (1160–620 m²/g).     

Polyacrylonitrile/Nylon 6 Blends: Preparation and Characterization

Summary: Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) particles with micro‐size ranges (0.15–2 μm) were prepared by emulsion and dispersion polymerizationa and in supercritical carbon dioxide media. The PAN particles were blended with Nylon 6 (PA6) at 220 °C by using a miniature mixer; it was found that melt‐mixing was possible for PAN‐rich compositions as high as 70 wt.‐%. Blends were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, IR, viscosity measurements, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The size and shape of original PAN particles were retained in PAN/PA6 blends. The useful range to blend PAN particles size was less than 1 μm in terms of shape retention of the PAN particles in blends. Blends with 40 wt.‐% PAN content were found to be melt‐processable. The elastic modulus was higher for PAN/PA6 blends than pure PA6.

SEM photograph of PAN‐SC/PA6 blend with a 40/60 weight ratio.