Effect of reaction kinetics of polymer electrolyte on the ion‐conductive behavior for poly(oligo oxyethylene methacrylate)–LiTFSI mixtures

The effect of the reaction kinetics on the ionic conductivity for a comblike‐type polyether (MEO) electrolyte with lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) was characterized by DSC, complex impedance measurements, and ¹H pulse NMR spectroscopy. The ionic conductivity of these electrolytes was affected by the reaction condition of the methacrylate monomer and revealed by the glass transition temperature (T_g), spin–spin relaxation time (T₂), steric effects of the terminal groups, and the number of charge carriers indicated by the VTF kinetic parameter. In this system, the electrolytes prepared by the reaction heating rate of 10°C/min of MEO–H and 15°C/min of MEO–CH₃ showed maximum ionic conductivity, σ_i, two to three times higher in magnitude than that of the σ_i of the others at room temperature. As experimental results, the reaction kinetic rate affected the degree of conversion, the ionic conductivity, and the relaxation behaviors of polyether electrolytes. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 2149–2156, 2003     

Direct Experimental Observations on Concurrent Microstructure and Magnetic Property Developments in Non-Grain Oriented Electrical Steel

Non-grain oriented electrical steel, with minor in-grain orientation gradients, was subjected to interrupted tensile deformations and concurrent microtexture, magnetic property and residual stress measurements. After the upper yield point, clear signatures of mechanical stress relief were observed. Changes in orientation gradients led to annihilation of low-angle (1 to 3 deg) boundaries. Prior deformation compressive residual stresses became tensile and magnetic properties improved. Beyond an optimum true strain of 0.01, this boundary annihilation ceased, compressive stresses were generated, and magnetic properties degraded.     

Mechanical properties of drawn poly(methyl methacrylate) filled with ultrafine particles

The elastic and yield properties of drawn poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) filled with ultrafine SiO₂ are described as functions of filler content and size. The drawn PMMA composites were made by uniaxially drawing to x4.0 at 100°C and at a rate of 20 mm/min. Four compliance values, i.e., S₃₃, S₁₁, S₁₃, and S₄₄ were determined. These values decreased with filler content and decreasing filler size. The relative compliance values S^de/S^do(S^de is the compliance of drawn PMMA composites and S^do is that of drawn unfilled PMMA) are almost equivalently changed with changes in filler content. The elastic properties of drawn PMMA composites are thus reinforced isotopically. This is characteristic of PMMA which has a large side group. The yield behavior of drawn PMMA composites have similar filler size and content dependence to those of elastic properties except that the transverse yield stresses become more brittle with filler content. The anisotropy in yield stress is relatively larger than that of elastic properties. This is probably because the anti-reiforcing effect, such as fibrillation becomes prominent with increasing filler content in the perpendicular direction.     

Fuel constituent effects on fuel reforming properties for fuel cell applications

The effect of different types of compounds commonly found in diesel fuel (e.g., paraffins, naphthenes, and aromatics), as well as their chemical structure (e.g., branched versus linear paraffins) on fuel reforming has been investigated. Diesel reforming is very complicated because diesel is a complex mixture of hundreds of compounds with greatly different reactivities. The syngas production rates at the same conditions were observed in this order: paraffins > naphthenes ? aromatics. Additionally, the type of reforming performed (OSR, CPOX, or SR) as well as the process parameters (space velocity and reaction temperature) significantly affected the syngas production rates as well as carbon formation. The reactivity of one fuel component can affect the conversion pattern of others, e.g., overall yields from the reforming of a fuel mixture are not additive of yields from individual fuel components, rather the more reactive component is consumed first. Furthermore, the type of substituent in aromatics and naphthenes, the carbon chain length in n-paraffins, branching in paraffins, and degree of aromatic saturation affect the overall hydrocarbon conversion, syngas selectivity, and carbon formation. The presence of sulfur compounds in the fuel caused significant drops in H₂ yields compared to CO yields.     

The effect of seawater on fracture mode transition in fatigue

The fracture mode transition for two steels fatigued in air and seawater was investigated by measuring the crack growth rates and by examining the fractured surfaces using scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the transition from normal to shear fracture mode did not always occur in seawater under the same fatigue conditions as in air. Three possible mechanisms, based on the effective stress intensity factor range, the threshold stress intensity factor range and environmentally assisted brittle fracture, are proposed to account for this behaviour and their validity is discussed.     

Forecasting electric power generation in a photovoltaic power system for an energy network

Recently, there has been an increase in concern about the global environment. Interest is growing in developing an energy network by which new energy systems such as photovoltaic and fuel cells generate power locally and electrical power and heat are controlled with a communication network. We developed the power generation forecast method for photovoltaic power systems in an energy network. The method makes use of weather information and regression analysis. We carried out forecasting power output of the photovoltaic power system installed in Expo 2005, Aichi Japan. As a result of comparing measurements with prediction values, the average prediction error per day was about 26% of the measured power. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 167(4): 16–23, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20755     

Investigations of AB5-type negative electrode for nickel-metal hydride cell with regard to electrochemical and microstructural characteristics

In the present investigation, AB₅-type hydrogen storage alloys with compositions Mm_0.8La_0.2Ni_3.7Al_0.38Co_0.3Mn_0.5Mo_0.02 and Mm_0.75Ti_0.05La_0.2Ni_3.7Al_0.38Co_0.3Mn_0.5Mo_0.02 are synthesized by radio-frequency induction melting. The electrochemical properties are studied through the measurements of discharge capacity, activation process, rate capability, self-discharge rate and cyclic stability of both the electrodes. Pressure-composition isotherms are plotted by converting the electrode potential into the hydrogen pressure following the Nernst equation. The structural and microstructural characterizations are performed by means of X-ray diffraction phase analysis and scanning electron microscopy of as-fabricated and electrochemically tested electrodes. An attempt is made to correlate the observed electrochemical properties with the structural–microstructural characteristics.     

The differential induction machine: Theory and performance

This paper presents the theory and performance of a differential induction machine, which is a special type of induction machine having two shafts projected from the two ends of a single stator. Application of a differential load on the two shafts cause them to run at different speed as a motor, which permits true differential movement and thus can meet the requirements of a differential drive in an electric vehicle. The machine is also capable of regeneration in the differential mode. This paper presents the construction of the above machine and performance of the same based on experimental results from a laboratory prototype. The equivalent circuit of the motor has been presented and verified experimentally.