EFFECT OF ELECTROOSMOTIC FLOW ON THE ELECTROPHORETIC DEPOSITION OF ZEOLITE POWDER ON A POROUS ALUMINA SUPPORT

Pervaporation separation of azeotropic and near-boiling-point mixtures by zeolite membranes offers substantial advantages over traditional distillation and extraction methods in terms of energy consumption. Typically, zeolite membranes are prepared by coating seed crystals on a porous support surface, followed by the secondary growth of the seed crystals by subsequent hydrothermal synthesis. The properties of the seed layer are known to strongly influence the separation performance of the prepared membrane [1]. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a highly reproducible technology for the deposition of seed crystals on porous supports. Despite the effectiveness of EPD, only a few studies have investigated its use as a seeding method for the preparation of the zeolite membrane on porous alumina support. With the use of porous alumina support, seeding is conducted by placing electrodes of EPD on both sides of the support. In this case, two electrokinetic phenomena are observed: electrophoresis of the seed crystal particles and electroosmotic flow of the solvent within the porous alumina support [2]. Thus far, experiments for the simultaneous observation of electrophoresis of seed crystal particles and electroosmotic flow of the solvent within the support have not been systematically investigated. In this study, the effect of the electroosmotic flow of the solvent within seeding on the porous aluminum support by EPD is investigated using solvents such as water, acetone, and methanol. When water and acetone are used, the direction of the electroosmotic flow is opposite to that of EPD, the strength of electroosmotic flow with water is higher than that with acetone. In contrast, with methanol, the direction of the electroosmotic flow is the same as that of EPD, with weak particle charge. The results showed that both the support and solvent contributed to the change in the strength and direction of the electroosmotic flow. [1] H. Negishi, et. al., J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 89, 124-130 (2006) [2] S. Haber, J. Colloid Interface Sci., 179, 380-390 (1996

イソニトリルの重合と金属錯体との反応に関する研究

Trace amounts of Pt- and Ru-doped Ni/Mg(Al)O catalysts were prepared by a citrate method and tested in the oxidative reforming of C3H8 under daily start-up and shut-down (DSS) operation. The activity and the sustainability of the catalysts were compared with those of the Pt- and Ru-doped Ni/Mg(Al)O catalysts derived from hydrotalcite (HT) precursor. The DSS operation of C3H8 reforming was carried Out with O-2 gas or O-2/H2O mixed gas between 200 degrees C and 600 degrees C or 700 degrees C under air purging conditions. The catalysts underwent steaming treatment with H-2/H2O mixed gas at 900 degrees C for 10 h. This allowed us to test the effect of Ni sintering on the catalyst deactivation. Coking was significantly suppressed on both HT- and citrate-derived Ni catalysts. Although both preparations produced highly dispersed Ni particles on the catalysts, the HT-derived catalysts exhibited more finely dispersed Ni particles, resulting in higher activity values than those of the citrate-derived catalysts, The regenerative activity due to redispersion of sintered Ni particles was enhanced over the HT-derived catalysts compared with the activity over citrate-derived catalysts. Although a clear redispersion of Ni particles was not observed in the oxidative reforming, i.e., in the absence of steam, the size decrease in Ni particles was more significant over the HT-derived catalysts than over the citrate-derived catalysts. The Mg(Al)O periclase structure derived from Mg-Al HT likely plays an important role in the regenerative activity of Pt- and Ru-Ni/Mg(Al)O catalysts. Pt-doping was more effective than Ru for the catalyst sustainability in the oxidative reforming of C3H8

Molecular dynamics simulation on a layer-by-layer homoepitaxial growth process of SrTiO3(001)

科研費報告書収録論文(課題番号:09355030・基盤研究(A)(2)・H9～H11/研究代表者:宮本, 明/次世代エレクトロニクス材料としての酸化物人口超格子の原子レベル設計と開発

Synthesis of lamellar mesostructured calcium phosphates using n-alkylamines as structure-directing agents in alcohol/water mixed solvent systems

Lamellar mesostructured calcium phosphates constructed by ionic bonds were prepared by using n-alkylamines (n-C n H2n+1NH2, n = 8–18) at room temperature in the mixed solvent systems of aliphatic alcohol (C n H2n+1OH, n = 1–4) and water, and the synthetic conditions were investigated in detail. The mixed solvent systems suppressed the formation of crystalline calcium phosphates like brushite (CaHPO4·2H2O) and monetite (CaHPO4) at low temperatures, successfully affording pure lamellar mesostructured calcium phosphates. Other crystalline phases such as hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) were not formed under the conditions with the Ca/P molar ratios in the range of 0.7–1.0 in the starting mixtures. The Ca/P molar ratio of the lamellar mesostructured calcium phosphates was ca. 1.0, calculated by ICP and 31P MAS NMR data. Interestingly, the kind of alcohols strongly influenced the solubilities of calcium phosphate species and n-alkylamines, and then lamellar mesostructured phases were obtained with some morphological variation

Layer-by-layer heteroepitaxial growth process of a BaO layer on SrTiO3(001) as investigated by molecular dynamics

科研費報告書収録論文(課題番号:09355030・基盤研究(A)(2)・H9～H11/研究代表者:宮本, 明/次世代エレクトロニクス材料としての酸化物人口超格子の原子レベル設計と開発

Layer-by-layer homoepitaxial growth process of MgO(001)as investigated by molecular dynamics, density functional theory,and computer graphics

科研費報告書収録論文(課題番号:09355030・基盤研究(A)(2)・H9～H11/研究代表者:宮本, 明/次世代エレクトロニクス材料としての酸化物人口超格子の原子レベル設計と開発

Molecular dynamics simulation of enhanced oxygen ion diffusion in strained yttria-stabilized zirconia

科研費報告書収録論文(課題番号:09355030・基盤研究(A)(2)・H9～H11/研究代表者:宮本, 明/次世代エレクトロニクス材料としての酸化物人口超格子の原子レベル設計と開発

Fractional Reserve in Banking System

This thesis is aimed to provide understanding of the role of the fractional reserve in the mod-ern banking system worldwide and particularly in Finland. The fractional reserve banking is used worldwide, but the benefits of this system are very disputable. On the one hand, experts say that the fractional reserve is a necessary instrument for the normal business and profit making. On the other hand, sceptics openly criticize the fractional reserve system and blame it for fiat money (money not backed by any physical commodities) creation. According to a third point of view, which is expressed by conspiracy theory followers, a the fractional reserve system primary targets to control the money supply in favor of famous rich families, such as the Rothschild family. Although the fractional reserve system is criticized for many reasons, such as causing a moral hazard, cheating and being not transparent, it still functions successfully all over the world. At least the banking system still exists and seems to exist further. How crucial are the defi-ciencies in the fractional reserve system for which it is criticized? Can they be improved? Or maybe the fractional reserve system is not that up to date anymore and should be replaced by something totally different? To find answers to these questions, I studied history books, up-to-date materials and legisla-tion, especially acts published by the European Central Bank. In addition, I sent questionnaires to several banks in Finland and got examples from real bank practice, which in total helped me to form the final understanding of the role of the fractional reserve system in today’s economy