Fabrication and characterization of TiN–Ag nano-dice

TiN–Ag nanocomposite was synthesized by dc arc-plasma method. Microstructures of TiN–Ag nanocomposite were carefully characterized by powder X-ray diffraction method and transmission electron microscopy, and nano-morphologies by three-dimensional electron tomography. It was found that the surface of nanocrystalline TiN matrix was densely covered by finely dispersed Ag nanoparticles, and it was found that they were physically attached but not chemically bonded from their orientation relationships.     

Ratiometric fluorescence response of N-methylacridone for methanesulfonic acid.

A new method for the sensitive and selective determination of stronger acids, such as methanesulfonic acid, based on an acid-base interaction with N-methylacridone fluorophore (1), is proposed. The fluorescence spectrum of 1 was changed drastically by the addition of methanesulfonic acid in methanol. A ratiometric analysis of methanesulfonic acid by measuring the fluorescence intensities of 1 both at 426 nm and 473 nm showed good linearity with a correlation coefficient of 0.9995.     

Aptamer-based impedimetric determination of the human blood clotting factor IX in serum using an interdigitated electrode modified with a ZnO nanolayer

This article describes a sensitive impedimetric method for the determination of human blood coagulation factor IX protein (FIX) which is present in extremely low concentration in serum. An interdigitated electrode (IDE) whose surface was layered with zinc oxide was modified with two kinds of probes. One is an antibody, the other an aptamer against FIX. A comparative study between anti-FIX aptamer and anti-FIX antibody showed the aptamer to possess higher affinity for FIX. A sandwich aptamer assay was worked out by using the FIX-binding aptamer on the surface of the IDE. It has a detection limit as low as 10 pM which makes it 4 to 30-fold more sensitive than any other method reported for FIX. Moreover, to practice detection in clinical samples, FIX was detected from the human blood serum by spiking. In our perception, the sensitivity of the ZnO-modified IDE presented here makes it a promising tool for sensing clinically relevant analytes that are present in very low (sub-pM) concentrations.

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Hydrogen isotope exchange reaction rate in tritium and methane mixed gas

Hydrogen isotope exchange reaction rate in tritium and methane mixed gas, as induced by tritium decay and beta radiation, has been experimentally measured. Initially T₂ gas was filled to 40 kPa and 20 kPa of CH₄ gas was added. The mixed gas spectrum was analyzed periodically by laser Raman spectrometry. The first order HT and H₂ formation rates and T₂ and CH₄ decay rates by hydrogen isotope exchange reaction were observed between 2.9·10^–3 h^–1 and 4.8·10^–3 h^–1. Although the estimated hydrogen isotope exchange reaction rate was 1/20–1/10 slower than the rate of H₂+T₂ mixed gases, it was nearly equivalent to the ion formation rate by tritium beta radiation. This suggested that isotopic hydrogen radicals formed via ionization would disappear in the presence of methane.     

Anionic polymerization of N-substituted maleimide. V. A study on the kinetic features of anionic polymerization of N-phenylmaleimide

The kinetic feature of the anionic polymerization of N-PMI was investigated in THF. The polymerization system initiated with lithium tert-butoxide was revealed to be so-called “slow-initiation” system. The rate constant of the initiation reaction, k_i, was obtained to be 4.2 × 10^?3 (L mol^?1 s^?1) at ?72°C. The apparent rate constants of the propagation reaction, k, at ?72°C were individually obtained from each slope of the first-order plots in the later stages of the polymerizations for four different initiator concentrations. Each k is fairly close to that of initiation rate around 10^?3. The propagation reaction was concluded to be dominated by ion-pair mechanism from the analysis of the kinetic data and the results of the addition effects of crown ether and common salt.     

Comparison of models for evolution of X‐ray satellite lines

Evolution of the KL X‐ray satellite line was studied. Four theoretical models based on the adiabatic approximation were fitted to the experimental data for the intensity ratio of the satellite line relative to the diagram line for Fe and Zn as a function of incident photon energy. The Thomas, the Vatai, the Roy and the modified Roy (Roy2) models were considered. Comparison of these four models was made for the case of inner‐shell electron transitions and their difference was clarified. The reason that the models developed for bound–bound transitions can give satisfactory results for bound‐free transitions is discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Integrated optical fiber data link transmitter/receiver for local area network application

Optical fiber data link transmitters and receivers have been developed for local area network applications. The features are of wide-bit-rate range and wide dynamic range as well as compact and of highly reliable construction. State-of-the-art LSI technology has been applied for the circuit electronics integration. Design emphasis was also placed on the optical connector development for ease of operation as well as reliable connection and compact size.

The data link transmitter and receiver developed utilize an AlGaAs light-emitting diode and a Si PIN photodiode as the light source and detector, respectively. Performance data were obtained for a bit rate range of dc to 35 Mbps and an 18-dB dynamic range.     

Application of anomalous oxygen Kα 532 eV peak for the determination of metal oxide thickness

Oxygen Kα spectra emitted from oxides formed on several metals were analysed with a potassium acid phthalate (KAP) crystal, which showed a strong anomalous peak due to the reflectivity spike of KAP at the particular energy region ～532 eV. The relative intensity of the 532 eV peak to the main peak decreased rapidly with the increase of the oxide thickness, while absolute intensities of both peaks increased. The relative intensity also changed depending upon an incident energy of electrons (E₀) to excite X-rays: for thick oxide it decreased relative to E₀, and for thin oxide it had a minimum value at E₀ ～5 ke V. These experimental features were well explained theoretically by taking into account a contribution both of characteristic and continuous X-rays to the 532 eV peak. As an application of this experiment, we propose a convenient, nondestructive determination of the oxide thickness.     

Detection of dideuterium in diprotium gas at infinitesimal concentration using a trace reduction detector

An analyzer able to detect extremely small concentrations of dideuterium in diprotium gas was developed. To examine its performance, four gas samples of pure diprotium with dideuterium concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 5 cm(3)/m(3) were measured using the analyzer, and peak areas and retention times from 18 chromatograms were determined. Results indicated that the peaks were distributed within a relative standard deviation of approximately 15% and a linear correlation existed between peak area and concentration. Retention times were stable, showing a relative standard deviation of 1% with repeated tests and having no correlation with concentration of the four gas samples.