Re-evaluation of Radiation-Energy Transfer to an Extraction Solvent in a Minor-Actinide-Separation Process Based on Consideration of Radiation Permeability

ABSTRACT

Absorbed-dose estimation is essential for evaluation of the radiation tolerance of minor-actinide-separation processes. We propose a dose-evaluation method based on radiation permeability, with comparisons of heterogeneous structures seen in the solvent-extraction process, such as emulsions forming in the mixture of the organic and aqueous phases. A demonstration of radiation-energy-transfer simulation is performed with a focus on the minor-actinide-recovery process from high-level liquid waste with the aid of the Monte Carlo radiation-transport code PHITS. The simulation results indicate that the dose absorbed by the extraction solvent from alpha radiation depends upon the emulsion structure, and that from beta and gamma radiation depends upon the mixer-settler-apparatus size. Non-negligible contributions of well-permeable gamma rays were indicated in terms of the plant operation of the minor-actinide-separation process.     

Combustion synthesis of AlN doped with carbon and oxygen

Carbon-and-oxygen-doped AlN specimens were prepared by combustion synthesis using Al, graphite, and AlN. Graphite addition changed the product color from white to blue. By XRD, the lattice constant increased slightly with increasing carbon content. Blue AlN powder was synthesized with a molar ratio of the diluent AlN of 0.2-0.5 with a fixed graphite content of 0.05. At an AlN molar ratio exceeding 0.6, carbon was not successfully incorporated due to the lower reaction temperature. Calcination at 800°C in air removed residual graphite without changing the crystal structure or product color. Oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon analyses revealed that blue AlN powders contained 0.45-0.54 mass% carbon and 1.4-1.6 mass% oxygen, while the undoped AlN contained 0.021 mass% carbon and 0.94 mass% oxygen. The origin of the white-to-blue color change was investigated via reflection measurements. Blue AlN exhibits an absorption peak at 634 nm (1.96 eV). From first-principles electronic structure calculations, the C-doped AlN and carbon-and-oxygen-doped AlN with a 1:1 ratio could be classified as p-type, whereas the O-doped AlN and 1:3 carbon-and-oxygen-doped AlN were n-type. One reason for the absorption peak at 634 nm may be a transition from the conduction band to an upper unoccupied state. These results suggest the possible control of optical and electronic properties of AlN via carbon-and-oxygen doping.     

Photocatalytic Property and Electronic Structure of Lanthanide-based Oxysulfides

Lanthanide-based oxysulfides and sulfide, LnTaO_3.5S_0.5, Ln₁₀OS₁₄ (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm) and La₄In₅S₁₃, were successively synthesized by sulfurization in a flowing H₂S. The sulfurization decreased the band-gap energies from >4 eV to <3eV, because of the formation of occupied S3p orbitals on the top of valence band. In accordance with the small band gap, the H₂ evolution from a 0.01 M Na₂S and 0.01 M Na₂SO₃ solution system was observed under irradiation of light up to >500 nm. The rate of H₂ evolution under light irradiation of >500 nm increased in the order of Ni/LaTaO_3.5S_0.5 < Ru/La₁₀OS₁₄ < Pt/La₄In₅S₁₃.     

Fast Full-Band Device Simulator for Wurtzite and Zincblende GaN MESFET Using a Cellular Monte Carlo Method

A fast full-band device simulator for wurtzite and zincblende GaN using a Cellular Monte Carlo (CMC) approach is reported for wurtzite and zincblende GaN. The full-phonon dispersion relationship including anisotropic polar-optical phonon scattering is taken into account for the wurtzite GaN calculation. In the bulk simulation, the CMC model is about 30–100 times faster than the conventional Ensemble Monte Carlo model at high electric field region. This CMC model is applied to the simulator of MESFET devices, and the calculation speed is significantly improved.     

Stabilization of bioethanol recovery with silicone rubber‐coated ethanol‐permselective silicalite membranes by controlling the pH of acidic feed solution

In order to produce highly concentrated bioethanol by pervaporation using an ethanol‐permselective silicalite membrane, techniques to suppress adsorption of succinic acid, which is a chief by‐product of ethanol fermentation and causes the deterioration in pervaporation performance, onto the silicalite crystals was investigated. The amount adsorbed increased as the pH of the aqueous succinic acid solution decreased. The pervaporation performance also decreased with decreasing pH when the ternary mixtures of ethanol/water/succinic acid were separated. Using silicalite membranes individually coated with two types of silicone rubber, pervaporation performance was significantly improved in the pH range of 5 to 7, when compared with that of non‐coated silicalite membranes in ternary mixtures of ethanol/water/succinic acid. Moreover, when using a silicalite membrane double‐coated with the two types of silicone rubber, pervaporation performance was stabilized at lower pH values. In the separation of bioethanol by pervaporation using the double‐coated silicalite membrane, removal of accumulated substances having an ultraviolet absorption maximum at approximately 260 nm from the fermentation broth proved to be vital for efficient pervaporation. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Immunocytochemical localization of chymase to cytoplasmic vesicles after rat peritoneal mast cell stimulation by compound 48/80

The subcellular events responsible for release of mediators by mast cells may help to clarify roles for mast cells in health and disease. In this study we show that the granule-associated protease chymase is also within cytoplasmic vesicles in appropriately stimulated rat peritoneal mast cells. Rat peritoneal mast cells were recovered before or 1-10 sec after exposure to the secretogogue compound 48/80 (10 micrograms/ml) and then were examined by radioimmunoassay to quantify histamine release or were processed, using routine methods for postembedding immunoelectron microscopy, to identify the subcellular localization of chymase. In comparison to unstimulated cells, compound 48/80 stimulated cells in two independent experiments showed an increase (15%, 28%) in the surface area of the cell and a decrease (12%, 6%) in the surface area of the total granule compartment before degranulation channel formation. These global cellular changes occurred in a background of transient but significant (p < 0.01) increases in the area and number of chymase-immunoreactive vesicles per microns2 cytoplasm. These changes were detectable at 5 or 7 sec after stimulation with compound 48/80 but returned to near prestimulation levels by 9 or 10 sec after addition of compound 48/80 (total cumulative histamine release was 28% by 8 sec and 47% by 14 sec). These observations suggest that vesicles participate in the early stages of regulated secretion of chymase from rat peritoneal mast cells.     

On approximate solutions for the deformation of plane anisotropic beams

Plane deformation of anisotropic beams with narrow rectangular cross sections exhibits coupling of stretching, bending and transverse shearing. For anisotropic cantilever beams with a stiff end-cap under end forces and an end couple, assessments were made for approximate solutions by comparing these with numerically exact finite element (FE) solutions. Specific attention is given to point-wise or approximate satisfaction of the end-fixity conditions. As approximate methodologies, (i) the elementary polynomial form of Airy's stress function for the plane stress problem in a rectangular region, (ii) a Timoshenko-type beam theory, and (iii) the Bernoulli-Euler beam theory were selected. Among these, only the polynomial form of Airy's stress function violates the point-wise end-fixity conditions. Both the polynomial Airy stress function and the Timoshenko-type beam theory successfully model the effects of transverse shear deformation and the coupling of stretching and transverse deflection. Analytical solutions demonstrate that the normal shear coupling effect increases linearly with the thickness-to-span ratios in axial normal stress and axial displacement, while the coupling manifests quadratically in transverse displacement. The comparison of end displacements with the numerically exact FE solutions indicates that the polynomial form of Airy's stress function is no better than the Timoshenko-type beam theory. Similar conclusions were reached for the problem of uniformly loaded cantilever beams. It has been found that the accurate prediction of the deformation of thick anisotropic beams with significant normal-shear coupling requires the use of higher order theories.     

Functional metal-porphyrazine derivatives and their polymers, 10. Secondary fuel cells based on oxygen reduction on platinum electrode modified by polymers and metal-phthalocyanines

Secondary fuel cells based on oxygen reduction of platinum electrode modified by polymers and metal-phthalocyanine (Mt = Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II)) were studied. The discharge curves for the platinum electrode modified by poly(2-vinylpyridine) (or polystyrene) and Co-phthalocyanine in 30% KOH aqueous solution, for a 30 min charge at 500 μA, followed by a 100 μA discharge showed a stable plateau at about ?0.24 V SCE (Saturated Calomel Electrode). The open circuit voltage (vs. Zn) of the cell was 1.2 V, and the discharge capacity was of 46 A · h/kg. For this battery there was no significant decay in its characteristics after more than 30 charge-discharge cycles. In Mt-phthalocyanines, the values decreased in the order of Co(II) > Fe(III) > > Cu(II) > Ni(II). From a cyclic voltammogram for the electrode modified by the polymer and Co-Pc, the cathodic reactions were discussed.