Development of high-speed video cameras for Dynamic PIV

The most promising next generation Image Velocimtry (IV) is the high-speed Dynamic PIV. It requires the development of innovative high-speed video camera sensors. We started by specifying the required performance of these new sensors, for measurements in air and water flows. These criteria founded on the most recent developments in PIV algorithms and incorporate results from a large questionnaire survey of users of high-speed video cameras in Japan. The results suggest that the followings are required: (1) frame rate of 1,000,000 fps, (2) pixel count of 1,000,000 pixels, (3) frame storage capacity of 100–200 frames for tracing a single event and 10,000 frames for turbulent measurements, (4) gray levels of 4–8 bits for PTV; 12 bits for observation. Finally, we reviewed the state of the art of high-speed video-image sensors. Currently the standard parallel-readout sensors can operate at 1 Kfps with a pixel count of approximately 1 Kpixels. The In-situ Storage Image Sensor (ISIS) developed by the authors has recently achieved frame rates of 1 Mfps.     

Flexible self-organization of two size-scales oxide nanotubes on Ti45Nb alloy

We report on the growth of anodic oxide nanotubes grown on a simple Ti45Nb alloy that show self-organization on two size-scales. The well-ordered nanotube layers consist of large and small diameter tubes that are arranged in an alternating two-dimensional (2D) structure. This bimodal morphology and the thickness of the nanotube layer are affected by the electrochemical conditions used. The bimodal feature can be obtained over a wide potential range (between 15 and 55 V), resulting in a linear diameter variation from 80 to 330 nm for the larger and 50–180 nm for the smaller tubes. The organization into two size-scales takes place during the first hour of the anodization process. This result of flexible two size-scale self-organization using a simple two element alloy is of significant importance not only for fundamental research but also for specific applications that can benefit from bimodal properties.     

Phase transfer of highly monodisperse iron oxide nanocrystals with Pluronic F127 for biomedical applications

Iron oxide nanoparticles made from the thermal decomposition method are highly uniform in all respects (size, shape, composition and crystallography), making them ideal candidates for many bioapplications. The surfactant coating on the as-synthesized nanoparticles renders the nanoparticles insoluble in aqueous solutions. For biological applications nanoparticles must be water soluble. Here we demonstrate the phase transfer of our nanoparticles with the biocompatible copolymer Pluronic F127. Transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering indicate that the nanoparticles are coated discretely. Magnetic measurements show that the nanoparticles remain superparamagnetic with saturation magnetization ∼96% of the maximum theoretical value.     

2-D corona field computation in configurations with ionising and non-ionising electrodes

An efficient method is proposed for the computation of the electric field strength and of the space-charge density in configurations of at least three ionising and non-ionising electrodes. The physical model is derived under the assumptions commonly accepted for the study of corona fields. The mathematical model makes use of a conformal mapping that converts the actual boundary-free field zone into a rectangular domain with well-defined boundary conditions. The finite-difference method is then used for solving the differential equations that describe the ionic space-charge and electric field distribution. The computational procedure was employed for studying the simple case of the drift zone of the corona discharge generated between a so-called dual electrode and a grounded plate. The dual electrode consisted of an ionising wire (diameter 0.22 mm) located at 20 mm from a tubular metallic support (diameter 25 mm). The computed current–voltage characteristic and current density distribution at the surface of the collector plate were in good agreement with the experimental data obtained for this combined corona–electrostatics electrode arrangement.     

Stiffness of spherical bonded rubber bush mountings

Exact closed-form expressions are derived for the torsional stiffnesses of spherical rubber bush mountings in the two principal modes of angular deformation, based upon the classical theory of elasticity. Agreement is found, as limiting cases, with the known results for the torsional stiffness and shear stiffness of an elastomer pad of circular cross-section.     

Poly(L‐lysine) and clay nanocomposite with desired matrix secondary structure: Effects of polypeptide molecular weight

Nanocomposites (NC) were formed using cationic poly(L ‐lysine) (PLL), a semicrystalline polypeptide, that was reinforced by sodium montmorillonite (MMT) clay via solution intercalation technique. By varying solution conditions such as pH, temperature, and polypeptide concentration in the presence of clay platelets, the secondary structure of PLL was controllably altered into α‐helical, β‐sheet, and random coil. The high molecular weight polypeptide shows a strong propensity to fold into the β‐sheet structure when cast as films, irrespective of the initial secondary structure in solution. Nanocomposite local morphology confirms intercalated MMT platelets with PLL over a wide range of compositions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 239–252, 2007.     

Interfacial structure and electrical properties of LaAlO3 gate dielectric films on Si by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

LaAlO₃ (LAO) gate dielectric films were deposited on Si substrates by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The interfacial structure and composition distribution were investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), secondary-ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), and Auger-electron spectroscopy (AES). HRTEM confirms that there exists an interfacial layer between LAO and Si in most samples. AES, SIMS, and XPS analyses indicate that the interfacial layer is compositionally graded La–Al silicate and the Al element is severely deficient close to the Si surface. Electrical properties of LAO films were evaluated. No evident difference in electrical properties between samples with and without native SiO₂ layers was observed. The electrical properties are discussed in terms of LAO growth mechanisms, in relation to the interfacial structure. PACS 73.40.Qv; 81.15.Gh; 77.55.+f; 68.35.-p     

Novel UV‐induced photografting process for preparing poly(tetrafluoroethylene)‐based proton‐conducting membranes

A novel process comprising the UV‐induced photografting of styrene into poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) films and subsequent sulfonation has been developed for preparing proton‐conducting membranes. Although under UV irradiation the initial radicals were mainly generated on the surface of the PTFE films by the action of photosensitizers such as xanthone and benzoyl peroxide, the graft chains were readily propagated into the PTFE films. The sulfonation of the grafted films was performed in a chlorosulfonic acid solution. Fourier transform infrared and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the grafted and sulfonated membranes. With a view to use in fuel cells, the proton conductivity, water uptake, and mechanical properties of the prepared membranes were measured. Even through the degree of grafting was lower than 10%, the proton conductivity in the thickness direction of the newly prepared membranes could reach a value similar to that of a Nafion membrane. In comparison with γ‐ray radiation grafting, UV‐induced photografting is very simple and safe and is less damaging to the membranes because significant degradation of the PTFE main chains can be avoided. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 2624–2637, 2007     

Relative importance of hydrogen atom flux and ion bombardment to the growth of μc-Si:H thin films

An investigation of the relative importance of H atoms and ions to the transition from amorphous to microcrystalline silicon growth was performed by applying in situ plasma diagnostics and a 2D simulator of SiH₄/H₂ discharges. The growth transition was achieved by reducing the % SiH₄ in the SiH₄/H₂ discharges while keeping all the other plasma parameters constant. The distribution of the main species in the discharge space, as well as the flux of H atoms and ions per monolayer and the energy transferred by each to the growing film surface, was estimated from the simulation results. H atoms flux was found to be much higher compared to ions but the total amount of energy transferred from both H atoms and ions was found to be much lower than the activation energy required for crystallization of stable a-Si:H films with low H-content. These results support the theory that in the present conditions the formation of microcrystals proceeds via the initial growth of an unstable a-Si:H with high H content, which reduces significantly the energy barrier for crystallization.