Oxidative leaching of uranium from SIMFUEL using Na<Subscript>2</Subscript>CO<Subscript>3</Subscript>–H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> solution

A feasibility and basic study to find a possibility to develop such a process for recovering U alone from spent fuel by using the methods of an oxidative leaching and a precipitation of U in high alkaline carbonate media was newly suggested with the characteristics of a highly enhanced proliferation-resistance and more environmental friendliness. This study has focused on the examination of an oxidative leaching of uranium from SIMFUEL powders contained 16 elements (U, Ce, Gd, La, Nd, Pr, Sm, Eu, Y, Mo, Pd, Ru, Zr, Ba, Sr, and Te) using a Na₂CO₃ solution with hydrogen peroxide. U₃O₈ was dissolved more rapidly than UO₂ in a carbonate solution. However, in the presence of H₂O₂, we can find out that the leaching rates of the reduced SIMFUEL powder are faster than the oxidized SIMFUEL powder. In carbonate solutions with hydrogen peroxide, uranium oxides were dissolved in the form of uranyl peroxo-carbonato complexes. UO₂(O₂) _x (CO₃) _y ^2−2x−2y , where x/y has 1/2, 2/1.     

Preparation of uranium oxide powder for nuclear fuel pellet fabrication with uranium peroxide recovered from uranium oxide scraps by using a carbonate–hydrogen peroxide solution

This work studied a way to reclaim uranium from contaminated UO₂ oxide scraps as a sinterable UO₂ powder for UO₂ fuel pellet fabrication, which included a dissolution of the uranium oxide scraps in a carbonate solution with hydrogen peroxide and a UO₄ precipitation step. Dissolution characteristics of reduced and oxidized uranium oxides were evaluated in a carbonate solution with hydrogen peroxide, and the UO₄ precipitation were confirmed by acidification of uranyl peroxo–carbonate complex solution. An agglomerated UO₄ powder obtained by the dissolution and precipitation of uranium in the carbonate solution could not be pulverized into fine UO₂ powder by the OREOX process, because of submicron-sized individual UO₄ particles forming the agglomerated UO₄ precipitate. The UO₂ powder prepared from the UO₄ precipitate could meet the UO₂ powder specifications for UO₂ fuel pellet fabrication by a series of steps such as dehydration of UO₄ precipitate, reduction, and milling. The sinterability of the reclaimed UO₂ powder for fuel pellet fabrication was improved by adding virgin UO₂ powder in the reclaimed UO₂ powder. A process to reclaim the contaminated uranium scraps as UO₂ fuel powder using a carbonate solution was finally suggested.     

Stereospecific polymerization of methacrylonitrile. I. Characterization of crystalline polymethacrylonitrile

Methacrylonitrile (MAN) was polymerized with diethylmagnesium. Acetone-insoluble portions of the polymers are found to be crystalline. Highly crystalline portions can be isolated by further extraction of the acetone-insoluble parts with dimethylformamide (DMF). A film of DMF-insoluble fraction can be oriented uniaxially by hot-press rolling. The crystalline PMAN is insoluble in the usual solvents for amorphous PMAN because of their crystallinity and is easily soluble in CF₃COOH or Cl₂CHCOOH. The viscosity–molecular weight relationship was determined in Cl₂CHCOOH at 30°C. as [η] = 3.24 × 10^?3M^0.520. We found several crystalline bands in the infrared spectra, for example, at 1192 and 885 cm.^?1. Formation of the carbonyl group in the polymer is discussed, and it is concluded that it may be formed by the hydrolysis of conjugated cyclic imine or hydrolysis of the nitrile group in the polymer to acid amide.     

PKCalpha induces differentiation through ERK1/2 phosphorylation in mouse keratinocytes

Epidermal keratinocyte differentiation is a tightly regulated stepwise process that requires protein kinase C (PKC) activation. Studies on cultured mouse keraitnocytes induced to differentiate with Ca2+ have indirectly implicated the involvement of PKCa isoform. When PKCalpha was overexpressed in undifferentiated keratinocytes using adenoviral system, expressions of differentiation markers such as loricrin, filaggrin, keratin 1 (MK1) and keratin 10 (MK10) were increased, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation was concurrently induced without change of other MAPK such as p38 MAPK and JNK1/2. Similarly, transfection of PKCalpha kinase active mutant (PKCalpha- CAT) in the undifferentiated keratinocyte, but not PKCbeta-CAT, also increased differentiation marker expressions. On the other hand, PKCalpha dominant negative mutant (PKCbeta-KR) reduced Ca2+ -mediated differentiation marker expressions, while PKCbeta-KR did not, suggesting that PKCalpha is responsible for keratinocyte differentiation. When downstream pathway of PKCalpha in Ca2+ -mediated differentiation was examined, ERK1/2, p38 MAPK and JNK1/2 phosphorylations were increased by Ca2+ shift. Treatment of keratinocytes with PD98059, MEK inhibitor, and SB20358, p38 MAPK inhibitor, before Ca2+ shift induced morphological changes and reduced expressions of differentiation markers, but treatment with SP60012, JNK1/2 inhibitor, did not change at all. Dominant negative mutants of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK also inhibited the expressions of differentiation marker expressions in Ca2+ shifted cells. The above results indicate that both ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK may be involved in Ca2+ -mediated differentiation, and that only ERK1/2 pathway is specific for PKCalpha-mediated differentiation in mouse keratinocytes.     

Amorphous polyacrylonitrile: Synthesis and characterization

Amorphous polyacrylonitrile was successfully synthesized with bis(pentamethyleneimino)magnesium in heptane at 70°C. The amorphousness of the polymer increased with rising polymerization temperature and was favored by the nonpolar solvent. The polymer showed regular head-to-tail sequences which were confirmed by converting the polymer into polyacrylic acid and polymethylacrylate. The amorphous PAN produced a broad x-ray diagram with a maximum at 2θ = 16.1° and a less intense halo at 2θ = 27.5°. This pattern did not change after heat treatment. The synthesis of amorphous PAN strongly supports Imai's hypothesis that polyacrylonitrile consists of paracrystalline and amorphous phases. The amorphous PAN also tends to support Minami's assignment of the two absorptions in the temperature dependence of the dynamic loss tangent; the absorption at the lower temperature (110°C) is due to molecular motions in the paracrystalline phase and the absorption at the higher temperature (160°C) is attributed to the molecular motions in the amorphous region.     

Harzbasen bei der Harzbildung aus Phenol und Formaldehyd

Zusammenfassung Ausgehend von der Formulierung der Alkoholbildung aus Phenol und Formaldehyd als Ionenreaktion, der Ionenbildung der Alkohole in Anlehnung an K.Hultzsch und der Bildung von Harzbasen als wesentlicher Bestandteile des Natrium-Phenol-Resols werden im Gegensatz zu den aus Kettenmolekülen der Mehrkern-Phenole bestehenden Novolaken die Resole als Kationen einseitig zu „Igel-Molekülen“ zusammengefa\ter Alkohole des Phenols oder von Mehrkern-Phenolen dargestellt. Beim Natrium-Phenol-Resol bildet die endst?ndige Alkoholgruppe in o-Stellung zum Phenol-Hydroxyl wegen der Wasserstoff brücke komplexe Kationen um Natrium als Zentralatom, in denen 6 Phenolmoleküle oder Kettenmoleküle der Mehrkernphenole 6-strahlig zusammengefa\t sind. Beim Ammoniak-Phenol-Resol kann statt einer Fassung zum komplexen Kation die Bindung der Phenole, die endst?ndige Phenole in Kettenmolekülen sein k?nnen, über Methylenbrücken an je ein Stickstoffatom im N-CH₂-ring oder gemeinsam an ein dreifach funktionelles Stickstoffatom erwartet werden. Die Darstellung der Harzbildung ist nicht nur in übereinstimmung mit den bisher bekannten Ergebnissen der Forschung, sie vermag auch bisher nicht erkl?rliche Beobachtungen zu deuten. Sie begründet den kugeligen Bau der Moleküle in den Resolen, sie erkl?rt die Reaktion von vornehmlich p-Oxybenzylalkohol in saurem Medium, die Bildung von vornehmlich o-Oxybenzylalkohol mit steigendem Gehalt an Natriumhydroxyd, das Fehlen von o-o′-Dioxy-diphenylmethan in technischen Harzen, das überwiegen von p-p′-über o-p′-Dioxy-diphenyl-methan in sauer hergestellten Harzen und die optimale Harzbildung bei mittlerem Hydroxyd-Gehalt und begründet Beobachtungen bei der praktischen Anwendung von Resolen, wie aus dem Beispiel der Verleimung von Metall mit Natrium-Phenol-Resol hervorgeht.     

Synthesis and properties of thermally reduced graphene oxide/polyacrylonitrile composites

Graphene oxide (GO) was prepared from graphite using a modified Hummers method. The GO dispersed in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was incorporated into polyacrylonitrile (PAN) dissolved in DMSO to prepare composite films using a conventional solution-casting method. DSC results showed a significant decrease in the cyclization temperature of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) in the presence of GO because the functional groups of GO initiated cyclization at lower temperature by an ionic mechanism. Heat treatment in air at 250 °C for 3 h led to stabilization of PAN and a simultaneous partial reduction of GO. A significant decrease in the electrical resistivity of the GO/PAN composite films was observed because the partially reduced GO acted as a conducting filler.     

Coupled Ag nanocrystal-based transparent mesh electrodes for transparent and flexible electro-magnetic interference shielding films

In this study, we developed a fabrication method of conductive and transparent Ag mesh electrodes on flexible polymer film at temperatures lower than 100?°C. Random patterned Ag mesh film was fabricated on a flexible PET substrate over 15?×?15?cm² by a self-assembly process. It became conductive by a coupling process at low temperatures. The coupled Ag mesh film showed more than 88% transmittance in visible wavelength and less than 8.2?Ω?sq^?1 in sheet resistance with figure of merit (FoM) value of 350. This transparent flexible EMI shield film fabricated with a coupled Ag mesh pattern showed high EM shielding effectiveness of ?23?dB?at 1.5–10?GHz frequency with a high transparency of 88%.