Synthesis and properties of σ–π conjugated alternating polymers consisting of carbazole and organosilicon units

We have synthesized novel σ–π conjugated polymers with an alternating organosilanylene and π‐electron system, intending to utilize them for hole‐transporting materials of electroluminescent (EL) devices. 3,6‐Di(lithioethynyl)carbazoles were co‐polymerized with organodichlorosilanes to give the corresponding polymers with molecular weights of M_W = 2000–5000. Another type of polymer with a thienylene unit was also synthesized by the nickel‐catalyzed reaction of the di‐Grignard reagent of 1,2‐bis[2‐(5‐bromothienyl)]tetraethyldisilane with 3,6‐dibromocarbazole, the molecular weight being M_n = 3100. The EL devices with a double‐layer system composed of tris(8‐quinolinolato)aluminum(III) and the present polymers as the emitting‐electron‐transporting and hole‐transporting layers, respectively, emit green EL with a maximum intensity of the order of 10³ cd m^?2. Of these, the device with the thienylene–carbazole polymers exhibited the highest luminance of 1480 cd m^?2. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flattening of micro-structured Si surfaces by hydrogen annealing

We report atomic scale flattening of surfaces of microstructures formed on Si wafers by furnace annealing. To avoid thermal deformation of the fabricated structures, advantage was taken of hydrogen annealing, which enables us to decrease the relaxation rate of Si surfaces due to surface hydrogenation. We examined cross-sectional shape and sidewall morphology of 3 μm deep trenches on Si(0 0 1) substrates after annealing at 1000 °C under various H₂ pressures of 40-760 Torr. We successfully formed Si trenches with flat surfaces composed of terraces and steps while preserving the designed trench profile by increasing H₂ pressure to 760 Torr.     

Semidefinite Programming Relaxation for Nonconvex Quadratic Programs

This paper applies the SDP (semidefinite programming)relaxation originally developed for a 0-1 integer program to ageneral nonconvex QP (quadratic program) having a linear objective functionand quadratic inequality constraints, and presents some fundamental characterizations of the SDP relaxation including its equivalence to arelaxation using convex-quadratic valid inequalities for the feasible regionof the QP.     

Adsorption characteristics of a nanodiamond for oxoacid anions and their application to the selective preconcentration of tungstate in water samples.

A nanodiamond with a mean particle size of 4 nm, which was prepared by the detonation of a nanodiamond, has been characterized and used as a collector for tungstate in water samples. An aqueous solution of nanodiamond was found to be stable over the pH range from 3 to 10. Coagulation of the nanodiamond could be brought about by adding an electrolyte solution. The adsorption characteristics of nanodiamond have been elucidated to be attributable to amino groups on its surface by the elemental-analysis data and the zeta potential measured in weak acid media. The unique adsorption properties of the nanodiamond for oxoacid anions were applied to a selective preconcentration method for tungstate in water samples. An appropriate amount of nanodiamond was added to a sample solution at pH 5 and a calcium chloride solution was added to aggregate nanodiamond. The sample solution was then allowed to stand for 2 h and centrifuged. The nanodiamond was transferred onto a membrane filter, washed with a diluted calcium chloride solution and treated in advance of an ICP-AES measurement by either of the following procedures: (a) redispersion of the nanodiamond into dilute nitric acid with an ultrasonic washer and (b) ashing of the membrane filter and the coagulated nanodiamond at 700 degrees C, followed by a treatment of the ash with hydrochloric and tartaric acids. The average recovery of tungstate from 100-ml artificial river-water was found to be 99% at the 0.25 ppm level with an RSD of 2.2% (n = 3). The concentration factor at present is 10.     

Wave Localization of Doubly Periodic Guided-mode Resonant Grating Filters

It is known that a doubly periodic guided-mode resonant grating (GMRG) filter has a broad angular selectivity with a narrow spectral bandwidth. This means that the doubly periodic GMRG filter operates for small beam diameter and grating area. This report describes the wave localization in the doubly periodic GMRG filter. We investigated the spread area of light waves in the waveguide layer and the accumulation of field energy by numerical simulation using the finite differential time domain (FDTD) method. Simulation results showed that, in the case of a doubly periodic GMRG filter with a Q factor of 600, the field energy is spread over an area 5 um in width, which corresponds to the expected value from the angular tolerance. And the magnitude of the field energy in the waveguide layer was Q factor times greater than the incident energy. On the other hand, a singly periodic GMRG filter with the same Q factor spread the field energy over an area 72 urn in width. This filter does not work for a small size structure or a small diameter light beam.     

Numerical study on three-dimensional C-J detonation waves: detailed propagating mechanism and existence of OH radical

An unsteady three-dimensional simulation is performed for a hydrogen/air C–J detonation in a rectangular tube, where a detailed chemical reaction model is used to reveal the C–J detonation structure. In this simulation, detailed propagating detonation structures for a diagonal mode are described in three-dimensions. The detonation front structures, the line of triple points, and the strong explosions at the corners of the rectangular tube are revealed by using a three-dimensional numerical visualization. From the spatial isosurface profiles of H₂ mass fraction, it is confirmed that the triple point lines have a role of “shutter” to generate unburned gas pockets and become of a ring shape behind the detonation front due to its explosion. The explosion process and its influence on an induction delay are observed by visualizing the spatial isosurface profiles of OH mass fraction. Moreover, a high “peninsula-shaped” OH mass fraction area, which has been experimentally reported, is reproduced on the side wall of the rectangular tube.     

Genotoxicity of dimethylarsinous acid: high induction of tetraploids

Arsenic is a carcinogen in humans. However, neither the mechanism of action nor the ultimate chemical form of arsenic which causes cancer has been clearly defined. Dimethylarsinous acid is detected in the urine of individuals who ingest arsenic‐polluted drinking water. The cytogenetic study in V79 cells using iododimethylarsine, which is easily hydrolyzed to dimethylarsinous acid in water, revealed that dimethylarsinous acid was very cytotoxic (50% growth inhibition concentration; 1.1 ± 0.14 µM ), and either induced aneuploids or a high rate of tetraploids (73% at 2.5 µM ). Dimethylarsinous acid caused mitotic arrest, since the mitotic index at toxic dose (5 µM ) was 13.9%, significantly higher than the control (2.7%). Dimethylarsinous acid significantly increased sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and chromosomal aberrations, most of which were chromatid gaps and chromatid breaks. The cytotoxicity and the activity of dimethylarsinous acid in inducing chromosomal aberration or SCE was as effective as arsenite, but the activity was much lower than that of mitomycin C, which was used as a positive control. The most potent effects of dimethylarsinous acid on the cells were induction of aneuploids, tetraploids and c‐mitosis. Our results suggest that toxicity of dimethylarsinous acid is strongly related to the disturbance of the normal cell cycle. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of Water Vapor on Benzene Decomposition Using a Nonthermal-Discharge Plasma Reactor

The effect of water vapor on benzene decomposition in air was investigatedusing a nonthermal-discharge plasma reactor packed with ferroelectricmaterials. The conversion of benzene was found to decrease with an increaseof water concentration. On the other hand, the selectivity to CO₂ in thedecomposition products increased with an increase of water concentration. Acomparison between the benzene conversion to CO and CO₂ suggested that COformation was suppressed by water to a greater extent than was CO₂formation. N₂O formation also decreased with an increase of waterconcentration. These results suggest that the activity of oxygen speciesresponsible for the formation of CO and N₂O is reduced by water.