Synthesis of nano-polycrystalline diamond from glassy carbon at pressures up to 25 GPa

ABSTRACT

Nano-polycrystalline diamond (NPD) with various grain sizes has been synthesized from glassy carbon at pressures 15–25?GPa and temperatures 1700–2300°C using multianvil apparatus. The minimum temperature for the synthesis of pure NPD, below which a small amount of compressed graphite was formed, significantly increased with pressure from ～1700°C at 15?GPa to ～1900°C at 25?GPa. The NPD having grain sizes less than ～50?nm was synthesized at temperatures below ～2000°C at 15?GPa and ～2300°C at 25?GPa, above which significant grain growth was observed. The grain size of NPD decreases with increasing pressure and decreasing temperature, and the pure NPD with grain sizes less than 10?nm is obtained in a limited temperature range around 1800–2000°C, depending on pressure. The pure NPD from glassy carbon is highly transparent and exhibits a granular nano-texture, whose grain size is tunable by selecting adequate pressure and temperature conditions.     

Studies on glycolipids. III. Glyceroglycolipids from an axenically cultured cyanobacterium, Phormidium tenue.

Seven new monogalactosyl diacylglycerols (1-7) and six new digalactosyl diacylglycerols (11-16) were isolated from an axenically cultured cyanobacterium, P. tenue. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical evidence and the results of enzymatic hydrolysis using a lipase (from Rhizopus arrhizus). Comparison of antialgal activity for P. tenue between monogalactosyl diacylglycerols (1-8) and digalactosyl diacylglycerols (11-19) revealed that the former showed more potent activity than the latter.     

Structural developments in synthetic rubbers during uniaxial deformation by in situ synchrotron X‐ray diffraction

The molecular orientation and strain‐induced crystallization of synthetic rubbers—polyisoprene rubber, polybutadiene rubber, and butyl rubber [poly(isobutylene isoprene)]—during uniaxial deformation were studied with in situ synchrotron wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. The high intensity of the synchrotron X‐rays and the new data analysis method made it possible to estimate the mass fractions of the strain‐induced crystals and amorphous chain segments in both the oriented and unoriented states. Contrary to the conventional concept, the majority of the molecules (50–75%) remained in an unoriented amorphous state at high strains. Each synthetic rubber showed a different behavior of strain‐induced crystallization and molecular orientation during extension and retraction. Our results confirmed the occurence of strain‐induced networks in the synthetic rubbers due to the inhomogeneity of the crosslink distribution. The strain‐induced networks containing microfibrillar crystals and oriented amorphous tie chains were responsible for the ultimate mechanical properties. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 956–964, 2004     

Ion-pair formation of a copper(II)-ammine complex with an anionic surfactant and the recovery of copper(II) from ammonia medium by the surfactant-gel extraction method.

The extraction and separation of copper(II), zinc(II), cobalt(II), and cadmium(II) were investigated. Both copper(II) and zinc(II) formed ammine-complexes, while cadmium(II) and cobalt(II) formed hydroxide precipitates in an ammonia medium. By the addition of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), a copper(II) complex formed an ion-pair (copper-ammine-DS), which was extracted into the SDS phase. However, a zinc(II) complex did not form an ion-pair, and was soluble in water. Copper(II) ion was recovered by stripping (back-extraction) after the addition of hydrochloric acid. This method was applied to the separation of copper(II) in a brass alloy.     

Reconstruction of the Point-Spread Function of the Human Eye Using a New Phase-Retrieval Algorithm

The double-pass method is thought to obtain the point spread function (PSF) in human eyes based on two techniques: the symmetric double-pass method using the same pupil size and the asymmetric double-pass method using a different pupil size. The symmetric double-pass method provides autocorrelation of the retinal PSF and, thus, the modulation transfer function. The asymmetric double-pass method provides low-frequency partial-phase information and the partial phase-retrieval algorithm is applied to obtain the complete-phase information, and to estimate the PSF. The partial phase-retrieval algorithm is based on the iteration method proposed by Fineup and Kowalczyk and requires a lengthy computation. In this study, we propose a new high-speed phase-retrieval algorithm based on the property that the real and imaginary parts of optical transfer functions (OTFs) continuously change in value.     

Optical and electric properties of Nb-doped anatase TiO2 single crystal

Nb-doped anatase TiO₂ single crystal has been grown by chemical vapour transport method. Raman spectra shows that the obtained crystal with Nb of 0.08 wt% has typical anatase structure. An absorption band was observed at around 2.2 eV, which seems to be due to the d-d transition in the conduction band. The electron paramagnetic resonance and electric resistivity measurements show that the doped niobium makes quite shallow donor level whose orbital is d_xy-like centered at the titanium position of anatase.     

The existence of equilibria in certain games,separation for families of convex functions and a theorem of Borsuk-Ulam type

The existence of a Nash equilibrium in the undiscounted repeated two-person game of incomplete information on one side is established. The proof depends on a new topological result resembling in some respect the Borsuk-Ulam theorem.     

Magnetism in electron-doped copper oxides

We report muon spin relaxation/rotation measurements on sintered powder samples of Nd_2−x Ce _x CuO_4−y and a large single crystal of Nd₂CuO_4−y . We find an electronic phase diagram which is quite similar to that of hole-doped superconductors such as La_2−x Sr _x CuO_4−y , although the doping of electrons into the system is less efficient in destroying the static moments on the copper spins. Static magnetic order in Nd₂CuO_4−y appears below about 250 K, and two spin reorientations are seen atT=75 K andT=35 K. Measurements of the magnetic field penetration depth have been unsuccessful due to the rare-earth paramagnetism of these materials.