Impact of an indium oxide/indium-tin oxide mixed structure for GaN-based light-emitting diodes

An interesting GaN-based light emitting diode (LED) using a 50 nm indium oxide (In₂O₃)/250 nm indium-tin oxide (ITO) mixed structure to replace the commonly used ITO (250 nm) current spreading layer is fabricated and studied. Use of the In₂O₃ layer could reduce the contact resistance of p-GaN in LEDs. In addition, this highly-resistive In₂O₃ layer, below the ITO layer could improve the current spreading performance. Experimentally, at room temperature, using this mixed structure, the luminous and EL intensities are enhanced by 17.7 and 17.1%, respectively.     

Surface tension measurement of metastable liquid Ti–Al–Nb alloys

Thermophysical properties of liquid alloys are usually difficult to measure, especially for high melting point and reactive alloys. In this work, the surface tensions of superheated and undercooled liquid Ti₅₅Al₄₅, Ti₅₀Al₄₅Nb₅ and Ti₄₅Al₄₅Nb₁₀ alloys are determined by using oscillating drop method under electromagnetic levitation state. The experimental results of Ti–Al and Ti–Al–Nb alloys display linear temperature dependence. The maximum undercoolings of 259 (0.143T _L), 268 (0.146T _L) and 275 K (0.147T _L) are respectively achieved for these three alloys. Furthermore, the viscosities of liquid Ti_55−x Al₄₅Nb _x alloys are also derived from the experimental results.     

Thermal Decomposition Kinetics of Ginkgo biloba Leaves Polyprenol in Nitrogen Atmosphere

The nonisothermal decomposition kinetics of Ginkgo biloba leaves polyprenol (GBP) and cleaved situation of its chemical bond during thermal decomposition process were first investigated using thermogravimetric (TG) and TG‐FTIR technology. The results of thermal decomposition kinetics revealed that the nonisothermal decomposition mechanism of GBP corresponds to first‐order chemical reaction with n = 1, integral form g(a) = –ln(1 – a) and differential form f(a) = 1 – a. TG‐FTIR results demonstrated that absorbance of –CH₃, unsaturated C–H bond, =CH₂, accumulated C=C, –OH, and so on constantly increased with thermal decomposition reaction went on. In addition, storage life of GBP was also evaluated. These data could provide theoretical guidance for purification under high temperature and other thermal application of GBP.     

Inducing anisotropy in bulk Nd-Fe-Co-Al-B nanocrystalline alloys by quenching in magnetic field

We have observed magnetic anisotropy in bulk Nd_55−xCo_xFe₃₀Al₁₀B₅ (x=10, 15 and 20) alloys prepared by copper mold suction casting method with a presence of external magnetic field (quenching field) μ₀H=0.25 T. By changing direction of the measuring field from perpendicular to parallel one in comparison with that of the quenching field, coercive force of the alloys slightly decreases while remanent magnetization and squareness of hysteresis loop increase more clearly. It is also found that the higher Co-concentration in the alloys the larger magnetic anisotropy is induced. The structure analyses manifest nanocrystalline particles embedded in residual amorphous matrix of the alloys. The size of the particles is in range of 10-30 nm and their crystalline phases consist of Nd₂(Fe,Co)₁₄B, Nd₃Co, Nd₃Al, NdAl₂ and Nd.     

Differentiating parts of Cinnamomum cassia using LC‐qTOF‐MS in conjunction with principal component analysis

Cinnamon bark (Rou Gui in Chinese), cinnamon twig (Gui Zhi) and shaved cinnamon bark (Gui Sin) have been widely used as spices and in traditional Chinese medicine since ancient times. On‐going issues related to quality and authenticity necessitate the development of analytical methods capable of providing an objective evaluation of samples. In this study, chemical fingerprints of cinnamon bark, cinnamon twigs and shaved cinnamon bark were established using liquid chromatography quadruple time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry in conjunction with principal component analysis (PCA). From 125 samples of cinnamon, we identified the following eight compounds and their the detection ratios: coumarin, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamic acid, 2‐hydroxycinnamaldehyde, 2‐hydroxycinnamic acid, 2‐methoxycinnamaldehyde and 4‐methoxycinnamaldehyde. Of these, 4‐methoxycinnamaldehyde presented the largest variations in detection ratio, making up 64.0, 97.4 and 50.0% in cinnamon bark, cinnamon twig, and shaved cinnamon bark, respectively. The quantities of cinnamyl alcohol, coumarin and cinnamaldehyde also varied between the three parts of the plant. Chemical fingerprints of the three cinnamon samples were established using principal component analysis, the results of which indicate that cinnamon bark and shaved cinnamon bark could be easily differentiated, despite a marked similarity in outward appearance. Cinnamon twig was also shown to depart from the other clusters. The proposed method provides a fast and efficient means of identifying cinnamon herbs for quality control purposes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Environmental radiation detected at Lin Shin hospital in Taichung during the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident

This work is the first evaluation of environmental gamma exposure rates by the Nuclear Medicine Department at Lin Shin Hospital (LSH) in Taichung with Thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD-100H) during the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident. After the 9.0 M_W strong earthquake hit northern Japan on March 11, 2011, a TLD-100H was used to monitor environmental kerma rate at Taichung (2,500 km away from northern Japan) from Mar-08 to Apr-09, 2011 and evaluated kerma rate due to global fallout of the sever FNPP accidents. Exposure rates varied widely among positions close to the PET/CT facility. Observed kerma rates of up to 4.12 ± 0.62 mSv mo⁻¹ indicated an explicit, heavy leakage of photon through the PET/CT facility. No significant contributions were detected at Taichung, Taiwan. Hence, the health effect cause by the “extra radiation” from FNPP accidents is negligible. As this was a rare case of environmental monitoring during a nuclear power plant accident, its findings are of considerable significance.     

Accelerated Curing Speed of Ethyl α‐Cyanoacrylate by Polymer with Catecholamine Groups

Four kinds of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) derivatives with the similar backbone and different side groups have been synthesized successfully. When both catecholamine and double bond are tethered to polymer backbone, i.e., the PEG backbone, simultaneously, the polymer can accelerate the curing speed of ethyl α‐cyanoacrylate (commercially available as 502) greatly under the same conditions (the curing time of such system is no more than 5 s). Probably this is due to the autoxidation of catecholamines. Through the redox‐cycling, catecholamines can produce, collect free radicals, and thus initiate the free radical polymerization. Due to the fast‐curing of such material when mixed with α‐cyanoacrylate, we could design and develop a new bicomponent super bioglue used in the dentistry or other bioenvironment requiring super fast settlement for further surgical operations.