Characterization and electrochemical properties of CF4 plasma-treated boron-doped diamond surfaces

The effect of CF₄ plasma etching on diamond surfaces, with respect to treatment time, was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electrochemical measurements. SEM observations and Raman spectra indicated an increase in surface roughening on a scale of 10–20 nm, and an increase in crystal defect density was apparent with treatment time in the range of 10 s to 30 min. In contrast, alteration of the diamond surface terminations from oxygen to fluorine was found to be rather rapid, with saturation of the F/C atomic ratio estimated from XPS analysis after treatment durations of 1 min and more. The redox kinetics of Fe(CN)₆^3−/4− was also found to be significantly modified after 10 s of CF₄ plasma treatment. This behavior shows that C–F terminations predominantly affect the redox kinetics compared to the effect on the surface roughness and crystal defects. The double-layer capacitance (C_dl) of the electrolyte/CF₄ plasma-treated boron-doped diamond interface was found to show a minimum value at 1 min of treatment. These results indicate that a short-duration CF₄ plasma treatment is effective for the fabrication of fluorine-terminated diamond surfaces without undesirable surface damage.     

Hydrogen absorption by Pd-coated ZrNi prepared by using Barrel-Sputtering System

To improve the durability of hydrogen storage materials against surface poisoning by impurity gases, effectiveness of Pd-coating layer prepared by using a Barrel-Sputtering System was examined for ZrNi powder. The effectiveness of Pd-coating was evaluated by activation temperature, at which Pd/ZrNi poisoned by air could be activated to absorb hydrogen. Characterization of Pd-coated ZrNi (denoted as Pd/ZrNi) by scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis and X-ray diffraction showed that a uniform Pd-coating layer was formed with the barrel-sputtering system. It was found that the poisoned Pd/ZrNi sample could be activated even at 423 K to absorb hydrogen at room temperature. This exhibits remarkable contrast to bare ZrNi, which could be only activated appreciably above 1073 K. It is concluded that the Pd-coating by barrel sputtering is quite effective to avoid the effect of surface poisoning of powdery hydrogen storage materials. However, the activation at excessively high temperature resulted in the loss of high activity to absorb hydrogen. It was concluded that this phenomenon was associated with reactions between Pd and ZrNi to form PdZr and other byproducts.     

Effects of Working Fluid,Tubeside Enhancement and Bundle Depth on the Optimized Fin Geometry of a Horizontal Condenser Tube

A theoretical study has been made to optimize the fin geometry of a horizontal finned tube which is to be usedfor condensers that handle the vapor load of a liquid phase change cooling module.Systematic numerical calcu-lations of the vapor to coolant heat transfer have been performed for parametric values of fin height,fin spacing,vertical bundle depth and tubeside heat transfer coefficient.Three dielectric fluids (R-113,FC-72,and FC-87)at atmospheric pressure were selected as the working fluids.For a single tube with optimized fin geometry,theaverage heat flux increased in the order of FC-87,R-113 and FC-72.Both the optimum fin height and optimumfin spacing increased with increasing vertical bundle depth.     

Studies on calcium antagonistic and alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocking activities of monatepil maleate, its metabolites and their enantiomers

The calcium antagonistic and alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocking activities of monatepil maleate (CAS 103377-41-9, (+/-)-N-(6,11-dihydrodibenzo [b, e] thiepin-11-yl) -4-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-piperazinebutanamide monomaleate, AJ-2615), a novel calcium antagonist, its metabolites and their enantiomers were studied in vitro. Monatepil maleate inhibited calcium-induced contractions of rat thoracic aorta (pA2 = 8.71) and l-phenylephrine-induced contractions of rabbit superior mesenteric artery (IC50 = 56.6 nmol/l). The calcium antagonistic activities of the metabolites of monatepil maleate (AJ-2615-sulfoxide A, AJ-2615-sulfoxide B and AJ-2615-sulfone) were 1/10 of that of monatepil maleate. However, their alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocking activities were similar to or slightly more potent than that of monatepil maleate. The potencies of the calcium antagonistic activities of monatepil maleate and its enantiomers [(S)-AJ-2615 and (R)-AJ-2615] were in the order of (S)-AJ-2615 > monatepil maleate > (R)-AJ-2615 whereas no difference was observed among them in alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocking activity. In calcium antagonistic and alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocking activities, there was no difference between the enantiomers of monatepil maleate metabolites. In conclusion, there was a difference with several times in calcium antagonistic activity between the two enantiomers of monatepil maleate but not in their alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocking activity.     

The relationship between the molecular weight and the critical miscibility composition of a solvent-nonsolvent-terpolymer system

A theoretical equation for the dependence of the apparent molecular weight measured by light scattering on the solvent used has been derived with regard to the composition heterogeneity. Terpolymers corresponding to a partial azeotrope were synthesized from styrene, acrylonitrile, and methyl methacrylate with mole fractions of 0.55, 0.16, and 0.29, respectively. The molecular weight measured by light scattering was found to be independent of the solvent used. Therefore the terpolymer was concluded to be apparently homogeneous in composition. The relationship between the molecular weight M of the terpolymer and the volume fraction of the nonsolvent γ in the solvent mixture at the precipitation point in a butanone-methanol-terpolymer system was experimentally proved to follow the equation where γ₀ and b′ are constants. Between the molecular weight and the limiting viscosity number [η] of the terpolymer the following relationships are valid at 35°C: and      

A facile chemical synthesis of cholest-4-en-3-one. Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectral properties of cholest-4-en-3-one and cholest-5-en-3-one

This paper presents a simplified method for the chemical synthesis of cholest-4-en-3-one, which is a naturally occurring steroid and a salient intermediate in steroid chemistry. Pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC) in refluxing benzene has been found to be an effective and convenient reagent for the oxidation and concomitant isomerization of cholest-5-en-3β-ol (cholesterol) to cholest-4-en-3-one in high yield. Also described are the carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectral properties of cholest-4-en-3-one and of the isolated reaction intermediate cholest-5-en-3-one. Based on a paper presented at the Symposium on Plant and Fungal Sterols: Biosynthesis Metabolism and function held at the AOCS Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, April 1990.     

Larval osmeterial secretions of the swallowtails (Papilio)

The larval osmeterial secretions of sixPapilio species examined displayed a remarkable qualitative change at the fourth larval ecdysis. The secretions of 4th (penultimate) instar larvae ofP. machaon, P. memnon, P. helenus, P. bianor, andP. maackii principally comprised mono- and/or sesquiterpenoids. The compounds identified from these species included -pinene, sabinene, -myrcene, limonene, -phellandrene, (Z)--ocimene, (E)--ocimene, -elemene, -caryophyllene, (E)--farnesene, -selinene, (E,E)--farnesene, germacrene-A, germacrene-B, caryophyllene oxide, methyl 3-hydroxy-n-butyrate, and acetic acid. In contrast, the secretion of 4th larval instar ofP. xuthus, although containing similar terpenic compounds, was accompanied by large amounts of aliphatic acids and their esters: isobutyric acid, 2-methylbutyric acid, methyl isobutyrate and methyl 2-methylbutyrate. On the other hand, the osmeterial secretions of 5th (last) instar larvae varied little in quality among the six species, and the identified compounds consisted of isobutyric acid, 2-methylbutyric acid, methyl isobutyrate, ethyl isobutyrate, methyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, and isovaleric acid, the last of which was specific toP. bianor andP. maackii. The chemical alteration of osmeterial exudate synchronized at the final larval ecdysis with the larval morphological change (particularly in body coloration) that appears to be of defensive significance against predators.     

Discharge properties and chemical stability of SrZrO films

Abstract— MgO thin film is currently used as a surface protective layer for dielectric materials because MgO has a high resistance during ion sputtering and exhibits effective secondary electron emission. The secondary‐electron‐emission coefficient γ of MgO is high for Ne ions; however, it is low for Xe ions. The Xe content of the discharge gas of PDPs needs to be raised in order to increase the luminous efficiency. Thus, the development of high‐γ materials replacing MgO is required. The discharge properties and chemical surface stability of SrO containing Zr (SrZrO) as the candidate high‐γ protective layer for noble PDPs have been characterized. SrZrO films have superior chemical stability, especially the resistance to carbonation because of the existence of a few adsorption sites due to their amorphous structure. The firing voltage is 60 V lower than that of MgO films for a discharge gas of Ne/Xe = 85/15 at 60 kPa.