Fabrication of carbon nanofiber by pyrolysis of freeze-dried cellulose nanofiber

The possibility of fabricating carbon nanofibers from cellulose nanofibers was investigated. Cellulose nanofiber of ~50 nm in diameter was produced using ball milling in an eco-friendly manner. The effect of the drying techniques of cellulose nanofibers on the morphology of carbon residue was studied. After pyrolysis of freeze-dried cellulose nanofibers below 600 °C, amorphous carbon fibers of ~20 nm in diameter were obtained. The pyrolysis of oven-dried precursors resulted in the loss of original fibrous structures. The different results arising from the two drying techniques are attributed to the difference in the spatial distance between cellulose nanofiber precursors.     

Phenomenological kinetics of the thermal decomposition of sodium hydrogencarbonate

Aiming to find rigorous understanding and novel features for their potential applications, the physico-geometrical kinetics of the thermal decomposition of sodium hydrogencarbonate (SHC) was investigated by focusing on the phenomenological events taking place on a single crystalline particle during the course of the reaction. The overall kinetics evaluated by systematic measurements of the kinetic rate data by thermogravimetry under carefully controlled conditions were interpreted in association with the morphological studies on the precursory reaction, mechanism of surface reaction, structure of the surface product layer, diffusion path of evolved gases, crystal growth of the solid product, and so on. The precursory reaction was identified as the decomposition of impurity, taking place at the boundary between the surface of the SHC crystal and the adhesive small SHC particles deposited on the surface. In flowing dry N(2), the thermal decomposition of SHC proceeds by two-dimensional shrinkage of the reaction interface controlled by chemical reaction with the apparent activation energy of about 100 kJ mol(-1), after rapid completion of the surface reaction and formation of porous surface product layer. Atmospheric CO(2) and water vapor influence differently on the overall kinetics of the thermal decomposition of SHC. Added gas phase of CO(2) slightly inhibits the overall rate because of the increasing contribution of the surface reaction. Under higher water vapor pressure, the physico-geometrical mechanism of the surface reaction changes drastically, indicating the preliminary reformation of reactant surface and the formation of needle crystals of solid product on the surface. The mechanistic change and extended contribution of the surface reaction result in the deceleration of the surface reaction and acceleration of the established reaction.     

Synthesis of the proposed structure of phaeosphaeride A

The first total synthesis of the proposed structure of phaeosphaeride A has been achieved via six-membered-ring formation by means of an intramolecular vinyl-anion aldol reaction as the key step. This synthesis suggests a revised configurational assignment for phaeosphaeride A.     

Nickel-catalyzed cycloaddition of anthranilic acid derivatives to alkynes

A nickel-catalyzed cycloaddition has been developed where readily available anthranilic acid derivatives react with alkynes to afford substituted indoles. The reaction involves oxidative addition of Ni(0) to an ester moiety, which allows intermolecular addition to alkynes via decarbonylation and 1,3-acyl migration.     

Molecular field model for -Mn5Ge2

A calculation is made on the thermomagnetic curves of an N-type ferrimagnet -Mn₅Ge₂, based on the molecular field theory using the magnetic structure determined by the neutron diffraction. The resultant magnetization calculated as a function of temperature reproduces the features of the experimental curve.     

Field-induced functions of porous Si as a confined system

Electroluminescent porous Si (PS) diodes exhibit various useful functions under a high-electric field. The experimental PS diodes are composed of thin semitransparent metal films, PS layers (about 500 nm thick in minimum), p- or n-type Si substrates and ohmic back contacts. Definite nonlinear electrical behavior (negative resistance and nonvolatile bistable memory effects) and cold electron emission phenomena appear in these PS diodes associated with the EL emission. Both the negative resistance and memory effects are related to the charging of Si nanocrystallites by field-induced carrier injection. The electron emission observed in the PS diodes formed on n+–Si substrates is caused by hot electrons tunnelling through the top contact. By an appropriate structural control of PS, the effective drift length under a high-field conduction is significantly increased, and then electrons are emitted ballistically. These functions reflect the activity of PS as a nanocrystalline confined system.     

Some fatty acids having an O-heterocycle in their terminal positions. I. ω-(3-Chromonyl)alkanoic acids

Some ω-(3-chromonyl)alkanoic acid derivatives, 1a and 2a , n = 4, 5; 3a, 4a and 5a , n = 2-6, were synthesized by cyclization of corresponding methyl ω-(2-hydroxybenzoyl)alkanoates 7b or ethyl ω-(2,4-dihydroxybenzoyl)alkanoates 8b with N,N-dimethylformamide-dimethyl acetal or acetic anhydride-DBU followed by hydrolysis.     

Supersymmetric nonlinear sigma models constrained on non-compact manifold

A detailed analysis by 1/n expansion is presented of supersymmetric nonlinear sigma models in two dimensions withU(n) symmetry in which the scalar fields are constrained on a non-compact manifold. The theories are ultraviolet finite. In the massless version of the models no mass scale is generated and gauge bosons fail to get dynamics while this is possible provided the theory contains a mass scale. The effects of introduction of the “Ø-term” into supersymmetric theories are also discussed. In particular, it is argued that supersymmetry is broken by the Ø-term only in finite supersymmetric theories. Finally, a singular behavior in the massless limit in these models is pointed out.     

Magnetic field effect on the density of states of a two-dimensional random system

The effect of the magnetic field on the single-particle density of states of a two-dimensional random system at finite temperatures is studied in the lowest order of a mutual interaction between electrons. We describe how the correction from the impurity-induced particle-particle correlation to the density of states is suppressed by the field.