Nanoparticles in Emissions and Atmospheric Environment: Now and Future

Journal of Nanoparticle Research -     

Pressure generation to 50 GPa in Kawai-type multianvil apparatus using newly developed tungsten carbide anvils

A pressure generation test for Kawai-type multianvil apparatus (KMA) has been made using second-stage anvils of a newly developed ultra-hard tungsten carbide composite. Superb performance of the new anvil with significantly less plastic deformation was confirmed as compared to those commonly used for the KMA experiments. A maximum pressure of ～48?GPa was achieved using the new anvils with a truncation edge length (TEL) of 1.5?mm, based on in situ X-ray diffraction measurements. Further optimization of materials and sizes of the pressure medium/gasket should lead to pressures even higher than 50?GPa in KMA using this novel tungsten carbide composite, which may also be used for expansion of the pressure ranges in other types of high pressure apparatus operated in large volume press.     

Effect of Coulomb Damping on Buckling of a Two-Rod System

This paper describes a significant influence of a slight Coulomb damping on buckling, using a simple two rods system. Coulomb damping produces equilibrium regions around the well-known stable and unstable steady states under the pitchfork bifurcation which occurs in the case without Coulomb damping. Also, the stability of the states in the equilibrium regions is examined by using the phase portrait. As a consequence, due to the slight Coulomb damping, it is theoretically clarified that the states in the equilibrium regions are locally stable, even in the neighborhood of the unstable steady states under the pitchfork bifurcation in the case without Coulomb damping, i.e., even in the neighborhood of the unstable trivial steady states in the postbuckling and the unstable nontrivial steady states under the subcritical pitchfork bifurcation. Furthermore, the experimental results are in qualitative agreement with the theoretically predicted phenomena.     

Prediction of sinkage and motion resistance of a tracked vehicle using plate penetration test

The relationship between contact pressure and sinkage must be represented by a mathematical model to estimate the sinkage and the motion resistance due to a vehicle. In this study an approximate and simple pressure-sinkage model is proposed. This model takes into account the effect of the size of the penetration plate on soil response, and includes two soil values that can be obtained by a single plate penetration test. It is submitted that the sinkage and the motion resistance of a tracked vehicle can be estimated by means of the proposed model.     

Stimulation of Microvascular Networks on Sulfonated Polyrotaxane Surfaces with Immobilized Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

Modulation of material properties and growth factor application are critical in constructing suitable cell culture environments to induce desired cellular functions. Sulfonated polyrotaxane (PRX) surfaces with immobilized vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) are prepared to improve network formation in vascular endothelial cells. Sulfonated PRXs, whereby sulfonated α‐cyclodextrins (α‐CDs) are threaded onto a linear poly(ethylene glycol) chain capped with bulky groups at both terminals, are coated onto surfaces. The molecular mobility of sulfonated PRX surfaces is modulated by tuning the number of threading α‐CDs. VEGF is immobilized onto surfaces with varying mobility. Low mobility and VEGF‐immobilization reinforce cell proliferation, yes‐associated protein activity, and rhoA, pdgf, ang‐1, and pecam‐1 gene expression. Highly mobile surfaces and soluble VEGF weakly affect these cell responses. Network formation is strongly stimulated in vascular endothelial cells only on low‐mobility VEGF‐immobilized surfaces, suggesting that molecular mobility and VEGF immobilization synergistically control cell function.     

Catalytic Alkynylation of Polyfluoroarenes by Amide Base Generated In Situ

We herein demonstrate that the amide base generated in situ from CsF and N(TMS)₃ catalyzes the deprotonative coupling reactions of terminal alkynes with polyfluoroarenes, wherein mono- and dialkynylations occur efficiently for penta- and hexafluorobenzenes, respectively. Tetraalkynylated products could also be synthesized from dialkynylated compounds.     

Investigation of the center intensity of first- and second-order Laguerre-Gaussian beams with linear and circular polarization

The vectorial Debye integral shows that tightly focused Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams have a residual intensity at the focal point for linear polarization, for a topological charge of m=1 and 2. We measured the shapes of linearly and circularly polarized LG beams and found that a central intensity appeared at m=1 and 2 for linear and right-handed circular polarization, however, it is completely canceled for left-handed circular polarization. In general, when the orbital angular momentum of the LG beam is parallel to the spin angular momentum of the photons, zero intensity is always achieved at the focus.     

Chemical and genetic diversity of Ligularia virgaurea collected in northern Sichuan and adjacent areas of China. Isolation of 13 new compounds

Root chemicals and DNA sequences were analyzed for Ligularia virgaurea collected in the northern Sichuan Province and adjacent areas of China. Thirty-eight samples were found to contain five chemotypes, two known and three new ones. From samples of the new chemotypes, 13 new compounds were isolated, including 3 sesquiterpene dimers and some rearranged eremophilanes. The DNA sequences suggested that the chemotype differentiation had a genetic origin.