Fe site populations in Sm2(Co, Fe)17 and Sm(Co, Fe, Cu, Zr)8.35 alloys

We have investigated the crystallographic site distribution of Fe atoms in Sm₂(Co_1−xFe_x)₁₇ and Sm(Co_0.90−vFe_vCu_0.08---Zr_0.02)_8.35 alloys by means of Mössbauer spectroscopy. Fe shows a strong preference for 2c (dumbbell) sites in the former system, but in the multicomponent alloys such preference is reduced. This result gives support to a model proposed by Ray, according to which Zr-vacancy pairs displace Fe---Fe dumbbell pairs during the solutionizing heat treatment of these permanent-magnet materials.     

The total synthesis of (±)-coriolin

The first total synthesis of (±)-coriolin from the tricyclo 6-4-5-fused ring photo-adduct through the key tricyclo 5-5-5-fused ring intermediate, 7,8,11 - trihydroxy - 1,4,4 - trimethyltricyclo[6.3.0.0^2,6]undecan - 3 - one, is described.     

Construction of Riken-ral muon facility at ISIS and advanced μSR

By utilizing the intense pulsed proton beam available at the ISIS facility of RAL, the new muon facility project of an advanced superconducting muon channel funded by the RIKEN is now under construction. The new facility, by adopting the superconducting solenoid system, will produce the strongest backward decay pulsed ⁺ or ^–in the momentum range from 20 MeV/c to 120 MeV/c. Also, by adopting the pulsed magnetic kicker, each one of two muon pulses will be supplied to two extraction channels simultaneously. Various important muon science experiments including advanced pulsed ^–SR andmu ⁺SR experiments will be realized.     

Ion chromatographic determination of ammonia in air using a sampling tube of porous carbon.

The ion chromatographic determination of ammonia in air using a sampling tube of porous carbon carbonized at 500 degrees C was examined. When the mean recovery and the reproducibility for a series of five determinations were examined for 1 and 10 ppm ammonia gases, the mean recovery (n = 5) and the relative standard deviation were 97.0% and 3.5% for 1 ppm and 86.9% and 2.8% for 10 ppm, respectively. Furthermore, the recovery from 10 ppm ammonia gas increased with an increase in the extraction time, and a recovery of 99.7% was obtained for 180 min of extraction time. The mean collection efficiency for 1 and 10 ppm ammonia gas was 102.5% and 96.5%, respectively. The relation between the sampling volume and the peak area was linear, and the linearity was 0.999 of the correlation coefficient. The ammonia gas concentration in an actual goat shed could be determined by this sampling device for a sampling volume of 5 L at a flow rate of 1 L/min; 0.79 ppm of the determination value practically agreed as compare with 0.78 ppm from collection by a boric acid solution.     

Measurement of the average polarization of12B in the polarized-muon capture reaction12C(μ −,v μ)12B (g.s.)

The average polarization P_av of the recoil nucleus¹²B (ground state) produced by the polarized-muon capture reaction¹²C(^–,v )¹²B was measured by a new approach which involved the muon spin resonance, and the adoption of Grafoil as a carbon target where the polarization of¹² B can be preserved completely under 3 kG holding field. Our observed resultP _av=0.473±0.053 yields g_p/g_A=9.6 _–2.7 ^2.4 which seems to be consistent with the canonical PCAC prediction within the error.The authors would like to express their sincere thanks to the members of the Meson Science Laboratory and of the Van de Graaff Accerelator at Osaka University. They also acknowledge helpful discussions and suggestions given by Professors M. Morita, H. Ohtsubo and K. Kubodera. This work is supported by the Grant-in-Aid of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.     

Theμ + state under decoupling field observed by spin resonance method in CS2, water and benzene

The muon spin resonance method was applied to measure the ⁺ polarization corresponding to the muon state in diamagnetic compounds in CS₂, water and benzene under 3 kG decoupling field. We observed almost the same diamagnetic polarizations under decoupling field, compared to those at zero decoupling field observed under the transverse field, except in CS₂ The results indicate that most of the so called missing fraction is not associated with diamagnetic species produced as a final state of rapid chemical reactions of muonium in these samples.The authors acknowledge helpful discussions with Professor T. Yamazaki. This work is supported by the Grant-in-Aid of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.     

Fabrication of microbial chip using collagen gel microstructure

A microbial chip was fabricated by filling the micropores on a glass substrate with collagen-embedded Escherichia coli(E. coli) cells, and characterized by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) in a solution containing ferricyanide. The activity of the E. coli cells in the collagen gel microstructure was imaged and characterized with SECM by mapping the localized concentration of ferrocyanide produced by the respiration of the cells. The SECM-based activity measurement detected as low as approximately 100 E. coli cells. Furthermore, the optical-microscopic observation indicated that the E. coli cells on the chip proliferated during the incubation. The sequential SECM measurements were performed for the same E. coli chip to obtain the microbial growth curve for a small number of microorganisms.