Damage mechanism in weldment of 2.25Cr-1Mo steel under creep-fatigue loading

The purpose of this study is to clarify damage process of “Type IV cracking” in weldment of a 2.25Cr-1Mo steel and to propose a micro damage prediction method. From continuous observation under a creep-fatigue test, it was found that spherical shape voids initiated and grew on grain boundaries in fine grain region and these voids grow continuously by changing their shape to crack-like. Both spherical and crack-like void growth rate equations were derived from the proposed void growth model. It was indicated that measured void growth rate under the creep-fatigue loading was well predicted by the growth rate equations.     

Open‐cycle OTEC systems with freshwater product: Effects of noncondensable gases on performance of condenser

An open‐cycle ocean thermal energy conversion (OC‐OTEC) system is one of the energy conversion methods used to generate electricity from ocean thermal energy. For the OC‐OTEC system, steam evaporated from the surface seawater due to flash evaporation drives the turbine. At that time, dissolved gas such as air is introduced into the low‐pressure system (OC‐OTEC system) as the noncondensable gas, which degrades the performance of condensation heat transfer. In this paper, a small‐scale OC‐OTEC experimental unit experimentally investigates the effect of noncondensable gas on the heat transfer performance in a condenser. The experimental results are discussed in comparison with theoretical estimation by the Sparrow–in method. It is shown that the condensation is occupied by heat and mass transfer near a condensation surface and that the condensation efficiency is affected by exhaust quantity of noncondensable gas at a relatively high concentration ratio of condensable gas. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 154(1): 29–35, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20179     

Electrochemical reduction of benzyl halides at a silver electrode

The electrochemical reduction of benzyl halides PhCH₂X (X = Cl, Br and I) has been investigated at Ag and glassy carbon (GC) electrodes in CH₃CN + 0.1 M Et₄NClO₄. At both electrodes reduction of PhCH₂X involves irreversible electron transfer concerted with breaking of the carbon-halogen bond. All three halides exhibit a single 2e⁻ reduction peak at GC, whereas up to three peaks can be observed at the Ag electrode. Silver exhibits remarkable catalytic properties for the reduction process, which is positively shifted by 0.45-0.72 V with respect to GC. The mechanism of reduction of the organic halides at Ag involves adsorption of both the starting reagents and their reduction products. Adsorption of PhCH₂Cl and PhCH₂Br is weak and slow, whereas PhCH₂I is more rapidly and strongly adsorbed, so that two distinct peaks can be observed for the reduction of the dissolved and adsorbed molecules. Controlled-potential electrolyses at Ag have shown that the process may be directed to the production of bibenzyl or toluene, depending on the applied potential.     

Feasibility of a 1,400 m Span Steel Cable-Stayed Bridge

This paper describes the feasibility of 1,400 m steel cable-stayed bridges from both structural and economic viewpoints. Because the weight of a steel girder strongly affects the total cost of the bridge, the writers present a procedure to obtain a minimum weight for a girder that ensures safety against static and dynamic instabilities. For static instability, elastoplastic, finite-displacement analysis under in-plane load and elastic, finite-displacement analysis under displacement-dependent wind load are conducted; for dynamic instability, multimodal flutter analysis is carried out. It is shown that static critical wind velocity of lateral torsional buckling governs the dimension of the girder. Finally, the writers briefly compare a cable-stayed bridge with suspension bridge alternatives.     

Thickness estimation of interface films formed on Li1−xCoO2 electrodes by hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Solid electrolyte interface (SEI) films formed on Li_1−xCoO₂ electrodes were observed with hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HX-PES). This paper particularly focuses on film thickness estimation using HX-PES with theoretical calculation. The validity of the calculation was proven by experiments using model SEI films. The native film formed on a LiCoO₂ composite electrode was estimated to be LiF with its thickness of 5 nm. Formation of Co (II) species on top of LiCoO₂ was also indicated. Storage of the electrode at 60 °C brought about considerable film growth (30-40 nm) with carbonate compounds formation. SEI film changes during charging of the LiCoO₂ electrode were also examined. The main component in the film was deduced to be LiF or a kind of fluorite, with its thickness decreased during charging. The SEI formation mechanisms are also elucidated.     

Fluorescent in situ hybridization analysis of open lactic acid fermentation of kitchen refuse using rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes

Reproducible amounts of lactic acid accumulate in minced kitchen refuse under open conditions with intermittent pH neutralization [Sakai et al., Food Sci. Technol. Res., 6, 140 (2000)]. Here, we showed that such pH-controlled open fermentation of kitchen refuse reproducibly resulted a selective proliferation of a major lactic acid bacterial (LAB) species. In one experiment, the predominant microorganisms isolated during the early phase (6 h) were Gammaproteobacteria. In contrast, those that predominated during the late phase (48 h) were always Lactobacillus plantarum in three independent experiments. To further quantify the microbial community within open lactic acid fermentation, we performed fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis targeting 16S (23S) rRNA. We designed two new group-specific DNA probes: LAC722(L) was active for most LAB including the genera Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Leuconostoc and Weisella, whereas Lplan477 was specific for L. plantarum and its related species. We then optimized sample preparation using lysozyme and hybridization conditions including temperature, as well as the formamide concentration and the salt concentration in the washing buffer. We succeeded in quantification of microorganisms in semi-solid, complex biological materials such as minced kitchen refuse by taking color microphotographs in modified RGB balance on pre-coated slides. FISH analysis of the fermentation of kitchen refuse indicated that control of the pH swing leads to domination by the LAB population in minced kitchen refuse under open conditions. We also confirmed that L. plantarum, which generates lactic acid in high quantities but with low optical activity, became the dominant microorganism in kitchen refuse during the late phase of open fermentation.     

Basic information on new regulatory criteria requiring on-site emergency preparedness for accelerator facilities in Japan

For basic information on new regulatory criteria, the dose rate around a thick target bombarded by proton, electron, or carbon beam having incident energy of 10 MeV–50 GeV (per nucleon in case of carbon) was simulated using the PHITS Monte Carlo code. Based on this simulation, the benchmark which is ‘1 Sv/h at 1 m away from the beam line’ assuming 1% beam loss was evaluated, and compared with the criteria in France and Canada. Based on this evaluation, a new regulatory criteria has been established for requiring on-site emergency preparedness for accelerator facilities in Japan, which is required for the ion accelerator beyond the ion beam of 100 MeV/nucleon and 0.5 kW beam power, and the electron accelerator beyond the electron beam of 50 MeV energy and 1 kW beam power.     

Preparation of carbon microparticle assemblies from phenolic resin using an inverse opal templating method

Three-dimensionally (3D) well-ordered carbon microparticle assemblies with different particle morphologies were fabricated by infiltration of phenolic resin solution into SiO₂ inverse opal structures and subsequent carbonization. The effect of the phenolic resin solution concentration and the carbonization temperature on the morphology of the fabricated carbon microparticles was investigated. At a carbonization temperature of 1000 °C, carbon microparticles with interlocked bridges were obtained when the concentration of phenolic resin solution is 40 wt% and hollow carbon microparticles with opened window channels were obtained at a concentration of 30–35 wt%. When the carbonization temperature was decreased to 500 °C, carbon microparticles with interlocked bridges also were observed, even when the phenolic resin concentration was 30 wt%. The structures and properties of the carbon microparticles and their assemblies were characterized using SEM, XRD, and N₂ adsorption.     

Micropatterning of liquid crystalline polyacetylene derivative by using self-organization processes

Side-chain type liquid crystalline polyacetylene, which has mesogenic moieties as side chains, is one of the promising materials for practical applications in the electronics. Micropatterning of the conductive polymer is a significant issue in this field. We show a simple method to fabricate micropatterns of side-chain type liquid crystalline polyacetylene derivative. Under dry condition, stripes patterns and lattice pattern were formed based on the fingering instability and stick-slip motion of the receding meniscus. Honeycomb-patterned polymer film was obtained by casting polymer solution under humid condition. The micropatterns drastically changed by changing solution concentration and preparation conditions.