Infrared seed inspection system (IRSIS) on painted car shells

This paper describes a newly-developed automated thermal system for detection of seeds on newly painted car shells. The system’s novel approach is to use thermal emission; previously applied techniques relied on light reflection strategies. The system is described beginning with analytical modeling of the underlying detection theory to verification on a pilot run in an automotive production line. Parker’s flash procedure, using a thermal detector, was performed to extract the thermal properties of inspected panels. New computer logic developed in-house for processing the acquired thermograms is also presented.     

Safety Guide-Line and Requirements for Distributed Raman Amplification and its Applications to WDM Transmission Systems

This paper discusses optical safety issues in distributed Raman amplification systems. Given the extremely high pump powers, network service operators have critical issues for safety. This paper focuses on both “eye-hazard” and “fire-hazards”.     

Controlled radical polymerization of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate initiated by photofunctional 2‐(N,N‐diethyldithiocarbamyl)isobutyric acid

We demonstrated that density functional theory calculations provide a reliable and quantitative prediction of the trends in C? S bond dissociation energies using several model compounds as photoinitiator. On the basis of this information, we designed a possible photofunctional initiator for the polymerization of hydrophilic vinyl monomers. Photopolymerization of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) hydrophilic monomer was carried out in ethanol initiated by 2‐(N,N‐diethyldithiocarbamyl)isobutyric acid (DTCA) under UV irradiation. We performed the first‐order time‐conversion plots in this polymerization system, and the straight line in the semilogarithmic coordinates indicated first order in monomer. The molecular weight of the poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) increased with increasing conversion. The molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n) of the PHEMA was about 1.5. Methyl methacrylate (MMA) could also be polymerized in a living fashion with such a PHEMA precursor as a macroinitiator because PHEMA exhibited a dithiocarbamate (DC) group at its terminal end. This system could be applied to the architecture of amphiphilic block copolymers. It was concluded that these polymerization systems proceeded with controlled radical mechanism. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 76–82, 2004     

Nanotube foam prepared by gelatin gel as a template

It has been known that simply mixing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in an aqueous solution of gelatin disperses SWCNTs well for a period of months. Gels made from the gelatin-SWCNT mixture are also stable and have a clear, black color. Scanning electron microscopy shows that gelatin molecules self-organize into a foamlike structure. All SWCNTs are embedded in the gelatin film that makes up the foam walls. Those SWCNTs belonging to one face of the foam cell cannot approach other faces to make van der Waals contact. Thus, the foam structure is associated with stabilization of the SWCNT dispersion. The gelatin can be removed thermally while maintaining the foam structure to give a sponge made of nanotube foams. This highly porous solid is electrically conducting and mechanically stable and can be used as a structural frame for composite materials.     

Umpolung of reactivity of allylsilane,allylgermane, and allylstannane via their reaction with thallium (III) salt: a new allylation reaction for aromatic compound

A new direct allylation of the aromatic compound has been developed. A combination of allylsilane, allylgermane, or allylstannane and thallium (III) trifluoroacetate gave rise to an allyl cationic species which was allowed to react with an aromatic compound, a nucleophile, to give allylation product(s) in good yields.     

A Kinetically Stabilized Nitrogen-Doped Triangulene Cation: Stable and NIR Fluorescent Diradical Cation with Triplet Ground State

A kinetically-stabilized nitrogen-doped triangulene cation derivative has been synthesized and isolated as the stable diradical with a triplet ground state that exhibits near-infrared emission. As was the case for a triangulene derivative we previously synthesized, the triplet ground state with a large singlet-triplet energy gap was experimentally confirmed by magnetic measurements. In contrast to the triangulene derivative, the nitrogen-doped triangulene cation derivative is highly stable even in solution under air and exhibits near-infrared absorption and emission because the alternancy symmetry of triangulene is broken by the nitrogen cation. Breaking the alternancy symmetry of triplet alternant hydrocarbon diradicals by a nitrogen cation would therefore be an effective strategy to create stable diradicals possessing magnetic properties similar to the parent hydrocarbons but with different electrochemical and photophysical properties.     

Cationic Axial Ligand Effects on Sulfur-Substituted Subphthalocyanines

Herein, we report the synthesis of sulfur-substituted boron(III) subphthalocyanines (SubPcs) with cationic axial ligands. Subphthalocyanines were synthesized by a condensation reaction using the corresponding phthalonitriles and boron trichloride as a template. An aminoalkyl group was introduced on the central boron atom; this process was followed by N-methylation to introduce a cationic axial ligand. The peripheral sulfur groups shifted the Q band of SubPcs to a longer wavelength. The cationic axial ligands increased the polarity and enhanced the hydrophilicity of SubPcs. The effect of axial ligands on absorption and fluorescence properties is generally small. However, a further red shift was observed by introducing cationic axial ligands into the sulfur-substituted SubPcs. This change is similar to that in sulfur-substituted silicon(IV) phthalocyanines. The unique effect of the cationic axial ligand was extensively investigated by theoretical calculations and electrochemistry. In particular, the precise oxidation potential was determined using ionization potential measurements. Thus, the results of the present study provide a novel strategy for developing functional dyes and pigments based on SubPcs.     

Preconcentration by dithiocarbamate extraction for determination of trace elements in natural waters by inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

Preconcentration by dithiocarbamate extraction into 2-ethylhexyl acetate for simultaneous determination of trace elements in natural water is described. After 250-fold concentration, the organic phase is used directly for inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Thirteen elements (As, Se, Mo, Zn, Cd, Ni, Co, Sn, Fe, Cr(VI), Pb, V and Cu) are simultaneously concentrated at pH 4.3 with the combination of ammonium tetramethylenedithiocarbamate and dibenzylammonium dibenzyldithiocarbamate and are determined in the extract; Mn and Cr(III) are also determined after preconcentration at pH 6.9 with the same chelating agents. Lake waters are analyzed by this method.