The First Observation of the Temperature-Dependent Phenomenon of Muon Catalyzed Fusion in Solid D–T Mixtures

A systematic study on muon catalyzed fusion (μCF) was conducted in solid deuterium and tritium (D–T) mixture. A variety of experimental conditions were investigated, i.e., tritium concentrations from 20 to 70%, temperatures from 5 to 16 K. A preliminary analysis result suggests a steep decrease in the dtμ-molecule formation rate with decreasing temperature, and also an increase in the probability for a muon reactivation after an α-sticking phenomenon. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Inlet throttling effect on the boiling two-phase flow stability in a natural circulation loop with a chimney

 Experiments have been conducted to investigate an effect of inlet restriction on the thermal-hydraulic stability. A Test facility used in this study was designed and constructed to have non-dimensional values that are nearly equal to those of natural circulation BWR. Experimental results showed that driving force of the natural circulation at the stability boundary was described as a function of heat flux and inlet subcooling independent of inlet restriction. In order to extend experimental database regarding thermal-hydraulic stability to different inlet restriction, numerical analysis was carried out based on the homogeneous flow model. Stability maps in reference to the core inlet subcooling and heat flux were presented for various inlet restrictions using the above-mentioned function. Instability region during the inlet subcooling shifted to the higher inlet subcooling with increasing inlet restriction and became larger with increasing heat flux. Received on 17 January 2000     

Repetitive spectral subtraction method for the spectrophotometric determination of rare earth elements

Summary A new multiwavelength data-analysis method for the determination of multicomponent mixtures, the repetitive spectral subtraction method (RSSM), is proposed. In RSSM, spectral data are obtained at evenly spaced wavelengths in the range of interest, and the analysis of the spectrum is performed as repetitive determination-subtraction cycle. In the determination step, the series of data in the narrow wavelength range is used, which is specified as to include the most characteristic or the largest peak for each component. Assuming a linear background, the target component, which can be a small group of components, is simultaneously determined together with co-existing components. In the next subtraction step, the calculated contribution of the component is subtracted from the spectral data in the whole measured wavelength range, and the component is assigned as determined and is excluded from the following analysis. This determination-subtraction cycle is repeated until all the components are determined.With RSSM, a mixture of many components can be precisely determined by the use of most information contained in the spectrum. The accuracy of determination can be improved by automatic estimation of the background and the gradual decrease of interferences. In order to demonstrate the usefulness of RSSM, the 8 rare earth elements (Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm) in the model mixtures were determined by spectrophotometry, and the results were compared with those of the usual correction factor method and the derivative method. Furthermore, the 8 rare earth elements were determined in ores, monazite and xenotime.

---

Spektralphotometrische Bestimmung von Seltenen Erden mit Hilfe eines Verfahrens der wiederholten Subtraktion

     

A microsensor for adenosine-5′-triphosphate pH-sensitive field effect transistors

The sensor for adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP) is based on H⁺-ATPase immobilized via a polyvinylbutyral resin on a pH-sensitive field effect transistor. A linear relationship was obtained between the initial rate of change of the differential gate output voltage and the logarithm of the ATP concentration over the range 0.2–1.0 mM ATP. The optimum pH was 9.0 at 40°C but pH 7.0 was preferred for routine measurements. Only slight responses were obtained for 1 mM glucose, creatinine or urea. The ATP-sensing system exhibited a response to 1 mM ATP for at least 18 days.     

Discussion of substantially identical gel points among multiallyl monomers based on characterization of resultant network polymer precursors consisting of oligomeric primary polymer chains

No difference in the actual gel points was substantially observed among three isomeric diallyl phthalates such as diallyl phthalate (DAP), diallyl isophthalate, and diallyl terephthalate (DAT); this interesting gelation behavior was discussed further in terms of the correlation between gelation and the difference in cyclization modes, and also, the difference in reactivity between the uncyclized and cyclized radicals for cross‐linking. In the present work, we tried to extend the preceding discussion to the polymerization of triallyl trimellitate (TAT) because the molecular structure of TAT is presumed to essentially involve the characteristics of three isomeric diallyl phthalates and, therefore, the enhanced gelation was expected in TAT polymerization. However, no enhancement of gelation was observed. For a full understanding of the gelation in multiallyl cross‐linking polymerization, we explored further the polymerizations of DAP, DAT, and TAT, especially focusing on the characterization of resultant network polymer precursors (NPPs) using SEC‐MALLS‐viscometry providing the correlation of [η] versus M_w of fractionated samples. Notably, the structure of NPP consisting of oligomeric primary polymer chains generated from specific allyl polymerization would become core‐shell type dendritic with the progress of polymerization. The correlation between delayed gelation and decreased reactivity of dendritic NPP for intermolecular cross‐linking is discussed. Conclusively, the reactivity for intermolecular cross‐linking between NPPs decreased with the progress of polymerization leading to a delayed gelation. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 2871–2881, 2009     

Permeability control in electro‐sensitive microcapsules with immobilized ferroelectric liquid crystalline segments

Nylon‐polystyrene microcapsules with immobilized ferroelectric liquid crystalline segments were prepared, and permeability control of an encapsulated core material was investigated under an external electric field. A ferroelectric liquid crystal monomer possessing both mesogenicity and chirality responded effectively to the external electrical field. Permeation of the material (oxprenolol) contained in the inner aqueous core of the microcapsules was enhanced under a weak electric field (2 V). Furthermore, the permeability of oxprenolol did not depend on the external electric field in the absence of the ferroelectric liquid crystal segments. To clarify the controlled‐release mechanism of the core material, the light transmittance of the polymer membranes was quantitatively evaluated under an external electric field using a handmade polarized light transmittance apparatus. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 1749–1757, 2008     

A generating function for sums of multiple zeta values and its applications

A generating function for specified sums of multiple zeta values is defined and a differential equation that characterizes this function is given. As applications, some relations for multiple zeta values over the field of rational numbers are discussed.

     

Computation of transition to turbulence in the compression stage of a reciprocating engine

The transition to turbulent flow in the compression stage of a reciprocating engine is studied by obtaining the finite-difference numerical solutions to the governing Navier-Stokes equations without using explicit turbulence models. A computational method is developed under the assumption that the flow is in a low-subsonic regime with strong compression. The numerical method is a simple extension of the well known MAC method. Computations were performed for three different chamber geometries at the engine speed of 1400 rpm. The results of the computations clearly demonstrate the transient process in which large tumbling vortices break down into smaller ones near the end of the compression process. The transition process is also caught experimentally by using Mach-Zehnder interferometry.     

Influence of wall heat loss on the emission characteristics of premixed ammonia-air swirling flames interacting with the combustor wall

The influence of wall heat loss on the emission characteristics of ammonia-air swirling flames has been investigated employing Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence imaging of OH radicals and Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometry of the exhaust gases in combustors with insulated and uninsulated walls over a range of equivalence ratios, ?, and pressures up to 0.5 MPa. Strong influence of wall heat loss on the flames led to quenching of the flame front near the combustor wall at 0.1 MPa, resulting in large unburned NH₃ emissions, and inhibited the stabilization of flames in the outer recirculating zone (ORZ). A decrease in heat loss effects with an increase in pressure promoted extension of the fuel-rich stabilization limit owing to increased recirculation of H₂ from NH₃ decomposition in the ORZ. The influence of wall heat loss resulted in emission trends that contradict already reported trends in literature. NO emissions were found to be substantially low while unburned NH₃ and N₂O emissions were high at fuel-lean conditions during single-stage combustion, with values such as 55 ppmv of NO, 580 ppmv of N₂O and 4457 ppmv of NH₃ at ? = 0.8. In addition, the response of the flame to wall heat loss as pressure increased was more important than the effects of pressure on fuel-NO emission, thereby leading to an increase in NO emission with pressure. It was found that a reduction in wall heat loss or a sufficiently long fluid residence time in the primary combustion zone is necessary for efficient control of NH₃ and N₂O emissions in two-stage rich-lean ammonia combustors, the latter being more effective for N₂O in addition to NO control. This study demonstrates that the influence of wall heat loss should not be ignored in emissions measurements in NH₃-air combustion, and also advances the understanding of previous studies on ammonia micro gas turbines.     

Thermal cured epoxy resins using certain calixarenes and their esterified derivatives as curing agents

The acetyl esterified calixarene (CA) derivatives were prepared from calix[4]resorcinarene (CRA), and p‐tert‐butylcalixarene (BCA[n], n = 4, 6, 8), respectively. Using these CA derivatives as curing agents, the thermal curing reactions of two multifunctional epoxy resins (jER 828, 186 g/equiv., and ESCN, 193.7 g/equiv.) were investigated. The temperatures of glass transition (T_g) and decomposition (T) were measured by DSC and TGA, respectively. Based on the yields, T_gs, and T_ds of the thermal cured jER 828 epoxy resin with CRA‐E100, the curing conditions were optimized to be tetrabutylphosphonium bromide (TBPB) as catalyst in NMP at 160 °C for 15 h. Under this curing condition, the cured materials of jER 828 or ESCN using various CA derivatives as curing agents were prepared. Except for BCA4 derivatives, the yields of thermal curing reaction were higher than 90%. T_gs and Ts of the resultant cured materials were in the range of 113–248 °C and 363–404 °C, respectively. These results mean that the cured epoxy resins with excellent T_gs were successfully formed by using CA derivatives as curing agents. It was also found that the T_gs of cured epoxy resins were strongly affected by the degree of esterification of CA derivatives. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1931–1942, 2010