Fabrication of Nonadditive Mica Ceramics by Hot Isostatic Processing

Powder compacts of synthetic mica (fluorphlogopite) encapsulated in a boro–silicate glass tube were isostatically hot–pressed in a Roy–Tuttle–type pressure vessel. Synthetic mica was sintered to a density of 2.60 g/cm³ (91.2% of theoretical density) without additives under 98 MPa of water at 800°C for 45 min.     

Calibration Curve for Quantitative Analysis of the Monoclinic-Tetragonal ZrO2 System by X-Ray Diffraction

A nonlinear calibration curve for volume fraction vs integrated intensity ratio was obtained for the monoclinic-tetragonal ZrO² system by using X-ray powder pattern-fitting and pattern-decomposition techniques. The empirical equation agrees well with the theoretical one. By using this equation, the deviation from linearity (6.8% maximum) resulting from the intensity difference of corresponding reflections of the two phases can be estimated quite accurately.     

Estimating the creep behavior of polycarbonate with changes in temperature and aging time

Thermoplastic resins are typically used without any kind of physical aging treatment. For such materials, creep behavior and physical aging, which depend on time and temperature, occur simultaneously. The effects of these processes are evident after quenching and are recorded in the material as a thermal history. This history strongly influences mechanical properties and creep behavior in particular. Thus, a more thorough understanding of the physical aging process is desirable. We examined the creep deformation of polycarbonate (PC) to reveal the effects of physical aging on creep behavior. The effects were dependent on both time and temperature. The relationship between physical aging and creep behavior exemplified superposition principles with regard to time and both pre-test aging time and pre-test aging temperature. The superposition principles allowed the calculation of creep deformations at a given temperature; the calculated results were corroborated by experimental data.     

Study of Dielectric Properties of (Sr1-xPbx)TiO3: MgO Composites for Field Tunable Devices

(Sr_1-xPb_x)TiO₃ (SPT) ceramics have low loss tangents and high dielectric tunabilities under DC bias fields at room temperature, but they have the disadvantage of high dielectric constants. In order to exploit these materials for microwave applications, the reduction of dielectric permittivities is necessary. Thus, the composites of the SPT system by the addition of a non-ferroelectric oxide such as MgO were prepared and electrical properties were measured. Loss tangents of the composite sintered at the same temperature as SPT's sintering were less than 0.3% in paraelectric region just above the transition temperature and the dielectric tunabilities of ~20% at 20 kV/cm and ~35% at 40 kV/cm were observed at 10 kHz.     

Historical developments of hydrothermal works in Japan, especially in ceramic science

Historical developments of hyrothermal works especially hydrothermal synthesis and hydrothermal corrosion in Japan are described. And also, some major activities of important Japanese researchers are given.     

Material balances of organics and nutrients in an oxidation pond

A series of experiments concerning a tertiary oxidation pond was performed from 10 January to 12 November 1979, using a model oxidation pond of 21 m² in capacity. The concentrations of organics and nutrients in influent and pond water were measured so as to consider the conversion of water quality in a tertiary oxidation pond. The sedimentation rates were measured weekly, and the final sediments were analyzed at the end of experiments, so that the material balances in respect to carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus were calculated and the various transition reactions were evaluated quantitatively. The result of the material balances showed that there were three main reactions in pond: the assimilation to algae; the sedimentation of suspended substance; and the decomposition of sediments. The regeneration rates of nutrients from sediments were so active that the removal of nutrients by algal solidification were not effective. Consequently, the overall removal efficiency of nutrients was 45% in total nitrogen and 43% in total phosphorus by a tertiary oxidation pond with 16 days detention time.     

Time Dependence of Degradation Phenomena of Plain Woven AFRP in Hot,Wet Environmental Exposure

Plain woven AFRP samples were immsersed in hot water at 80°C and exposed to humid air at 80°C, 80% RH for 300~days. Furthermore, they were tested by a tensile method to investigate time dependence of their degradation. The longer the immersion time, the greater the degradation of tensile strength. But on comparison with samples exposed to hot humid air, those immersed in hot water showed more degradation, although both conditions had the same temperature. Hot water caused the yarn/resin interface to degrade and led to delamination. Warps, which are weakened by absorption, were further damaged by delamination. Damaged warps broke and final fracture occurred at a low level of stress.At an average stress level, AE event rate of samples in hot, wet conditions was lower than that of virgin samples. This was because cracks occurred in the resin-rich area during water/moisture absorption, i.e., fracture occurred before tensile test. The change of fracture by water/moisture absorption in a hot, wet environment could also be revealed by the AE method.     

Estimating creep deformation of glass-fiber-reinforced polycarbonate

Thermoplastic resin and fiber-reinforced thermo-plastics (FRTPs) were used without post-cure treatment as “molded material.” For such materials, creep behavior and physical aging occur simultaneously. This study examined the creep behavior of polycarbonate (PC) and glass-fiber-reinforced polycarbonate (GFRPC) injection moldings, including the effect of physical aging and fiber content, and determined that the time–temperature superposition principle could be applied to the creep behavior for different fiber contents. The effects of physical aging on creep behavior were evaluated quantitatively on pure resin and with various fiber contents without heat treatment. We found that the effect of physical aging could be evaluated with the proposed factor, “aging shift rate.” To discuss the linearity of viscoelasticity in FRTPs, this study used two shift factors: time and modulus shift factors. The fiber content affected creep behavior by both retarding and restraining it through changing the elastic modulus. This was shown by generating a grand master curve of creep compliance, which included the effects of time, temperature, and fiber content. Using the grand master curve of creep compliance and shift factors, it was possible to estimate the creep deformation of molded materials under varying conditions and fiber contents. The estimated creep deformation gave a very good fit to the experimental creep deformation.     

Development of a frequency-detuned interferometer as a prototype experiment for next-generation gravitational-wave detectors

We report on our prototype experiment that uses a 4-m detuned resonant sideband extraction interferometer with suspended mirrors, which has almost the same configuration as the next-generation, gravitational-wave detectors. We have developed a new control scheme and have succeeded in the operation of such an interferometer with suspended mirrors for the first time ever as far as we know. We believe that this is the first such instrument that can see the radiation pressure signal enhancement, which can improve the sensitivity of next-generation gravitational-wave detectors.