Development of Non-Halogen Flame Retardant Optical Fiber and Optical Fiber Cord

A non-halogen highly flame-retardant 0.9mm optical fiber and 2.0mm simplex optical cord, which are harmonized with the ecosystem, have been developed. The characteristics of them are presented in this paper.     

Numerical study on performance of disk MHD generator using frozen inert gas plasma

In an magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator using a frozen inert gas plasma (FIP), the availability of a frozen argon plasma, the influence of plasma uniformity at the generator inlet on the performance, and the feasibility of a large-scale generator are numerically examined by /spl gamma/-/spl theta/ two-dimensional simulation. The FIP is produced by pre-ionizing inert gas without an alkali metal seed at the generator inlet, then the ionization degree of the plasma is kept almost constant in the whole of the channel because of considerable slow recombination of the inert gas just like frozen reaction plasma. It is found that not only helium, but also argon frozen plasma MHD generation is realized, although highly accurate control of inlet ionization degree is necessary for argon. It is important to reduce the nonuniformity of plasma properties at the generator inlet in order to raise the maximum enthalpy extraction ratio. Even for the large-scale generator with 1000-MW thermal input, the ionization degree is kept almost constant in the whole of the channel and the high performance is obtainable. This result is extremely attractive for the FIP MHD generator.     

Mass spectrometric analysis of low molecular mass polyesters by laser desorption/ionization on porous silicon

A low molecular mass polyester was analyzed by desorption/ionization on porous silicon (DIOS) mass spectrometry. The results were compared with those of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry using matrixes of alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) and 10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (F20TPP). The CHCA matrix was not suitable for characterization of low molecular mass components of the polyester because the matrix-related ions interfered with the component ions. On the other hand, the F20TPP matrix showed no interference because no matrix-related ions appeared below m/z 822. However, the solvent selection for determining optimal conditions of sample preparation was limited, because F20TPP does not dissolve readily in any of the available organic solvents. In the DIOS spectra, the polymer ions were observed at high sensitivity without a contaminating ion. No matrix is needed for DIOS spectra of low molecular mass polyesters, facilitating sample preparation and selectivity of a precursor ion in post-source decay measurements.     

Synthesis of large macrocyclic tetraaza compounds with a methylene backbone: Cyclo[-NH- (CH2)n-]4, (n = 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10). The formation of 28-, 32-, 36-, 40- and 44-membered rings

A series of macrocyclic tetraamines with 28-, 32-, 36-, 40- and 44-membered rings have been efficiently prepared from the corresponding ditosylamide and monobromoalcohol derivatives in 6 steps via a double condensation reaction. Overall yields were: 41, 41, 46, 29, and 33%, respectively, for 1,8,15,22-tetraazacyclooctacontane ( 11a ), 1,9,17,25-tetraazacyclodotriacontane ( 11b ), 1,10,19,28-tetraazacyclohexatriacontane ( 11c ), 1,11,21,31-tetraazacyclotetracontane ( 11d ) and 1,12,23,34-tetraazacyclotetratetracontane ( 11e ).     

Penetration of plasma surface modification. I. Cf4 and C2F4 glow discharge plasmas

Plasma treatment of a polymeric surface could involve at least three major mechanisms: (1) direct interaction of reactive species in the low-temperature plasma state with the surface (line of sight irradiation effect), and (2) chemical reactions of plasma-induced reactive species with the surface, and (3) reactions among reactive species and the surface (plasma polymerization). The first and the third effects are considered to be limited to the surfaces which directly contact with plasma (glow). The second effect is not limited to the surfaces that contact with plasma state but can penetrate beyond the plasma zone by diffusion. Using an assembly of fibers, of which only the top layer contacts with plasma (glow), the penetration of chemical changes caused by plasma exposure was investigated. Results indicate that the fluorination effect (incorporation of fluorine-containing moieties on the surface of polymeric substrate) penetrates through a considerable thickness of the assembly of fibers, depending on the porosity (gas permeability) of the system. Chemical reactions of plasma-induced (chemically) reactive but nonpolymerizing species with the substrate fibers seems to predominate. The direct interactions of energetic species, such as ions, electrons, and electronically excited species, with polymeric surfaces seems to play relatively minor roles in the plasma treatment investigated. The major role of plasma, in this case, seems to be creating such chemically reactive species. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Efficient synthesis of (±)-8,14-cedranoxide using electrochemical method as a key step

(±)-8,14-Cedranoxide has been synthesized starting from 3,4-dimethoxyphenol, wherein 6-acetoxymethyl-2,6-dimethyl-9-methoxytricyclo[5.3.1.0^1,5]undec-9-en-8,11-dione as a key intermediate has been produced efficiently by means of electrochemical methods.     

Theoretical study of benzonitrile clusters in the gas phase and their adsorption onto a Au(111) surface

We made theoretical calculations for a benzonitrile molecule and its clusters in the gas phase and as adsorbed on the Au(111) surface, to explain the observation by scanning tunneling microscope, that is, the trimer formation of cyanophenyl porphyrins adsorbed onto the Au(111) surface. With regard to the gas-phase species, ab initio calculations showed that (1) the benzonitrile dimer has a single stable structure that is planar and antiparallel; (2) the trimer has two isoenergetic stable structures, that is, a planar and cyclic structure and an antiparallel and nonplanar one; (3) the clusters are more stable, at low temperatures, than the monomer. For the adsorbed species, we made quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical calculations in which the interaction between the adsorbates and the surface is evaluated in a molecular-mechanical way by using analytical potential functions and an image charge model. Because the stable structures were found to be similar to those in the gas phase, the cluster formation of adsorbed cyanophenyl porphyrins was attributed to the interaction between cyanophenyl groups, which is barely affected by adsorbate-surface interaction. It was also found that the adsorbed cyclic benzonitrile trimer is more stable than the monomer and the dimer because the relative stability is dependent on enthalpy alone. We therefore concluded that the preferential formation of trimers by the adsorbed cyanophenyl porphyrins is due to the negligible contribution of entropy to the relative stability of the adsorbed species and that the adsorption hardly changes the situation found in the gas phase.     

Development of Plasma Window for gas charge stripper at RIKEN RIBF

A differential pumping system with a Plasma Window (PW) has been developed for an application to a window-less He gas charge stripper. A PW with Southern Methodist University design was newly fabricated and tested off-line for evaluation of differential pumping efficiency. Switching gases for plasma seed from Ar to He was tested. It was found that the PW reduced the pressure at the first differential pumping section to 1/13 for Ar and to 1/17 for He, comparing with differential pumping without PW. At the second pumping section, the pressures were drastically reduced to 1/160 and to 1/4,520 for Ar and He, respectively. These pressure reduction factors indicate that one differentially pumped stage could be removed from a conventional differential pumping system.