Tunneling transport of mono- and few-layers magnetic van der waals mnps3

We have investigated the tunneling transport of mono- and few-layers of MnPS3 by using conductive atomic force microscopy. Due to the band alignment of indium tin oxide/MnPS3/Pt-Ir tip junction, the key features of both Schottky junction and Fowler-Nordheim tunneling (FNT) were observed for all the samples with varying thickness. Using the FNT model and assuming the effective electron mass (0.5 me) of MnPS3, we estimate the tunneling barrier height to be 1.31 eV and the dielectric breakdown strength as 5.41 MV/cm. © Author(s) 2016.1671sciescopu

A Study on the Optimal Actuation Structure Design of a Direct Needle-Driven Piezo Injector for a CRDi Engine

Recently, the high-pressure fuel injection performance of common-rail direct injection (CRDi) engines has become more important, due to the need to improve the multi-injection strategy. A multiple injection strategy provides better emission and fuel economy characteristics than a normal single injection scheme. The CRDi engine performance changes with the type of high-pressure electro-mechanical injector that is used and its injection response in a multi-injection scheme. In this study, a direct needle-driven piezo injector (DPI) was investigated, to optimize its actuation components, including the plate length, number of springs, and the elasticity of the spring between the injector needle and the piezo stack. Three prototype DPIs were proposed by this research. They were classified as Type 1, 2, and 3, depending on whether the injector needle was hydraulic or mechanical. Then, the optimal prototype was determined by conducting four evaluation experiments analyzing the maximum injection pressure, injection rate, spray visualization, and real engine combustion application. As a result, it was found that the Type 3 DPI prototype, with several pan-springs and plates, had the highest injection pressure, a steady injection rate, and the fastest spray speed. It also demonstrated the most effective emission reduction for a two-stage rapid spray injection in a single-cylinder CRDi engine. The Type 3 DPI displays an increased elasticity from its hydraulic needle that provides a synergy effect for improving DPI actuation

Effect of Continuous Welding on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Angle and T-Bar

Section steels produced by welding are essential parts for shipbuilding and offshore plant production. T-type and H-type section steels are produced by handwork for secondary processing, which is a generally difficult and tedious activity. Therefore, automatic welding, with sound welding properties and a high-speed process, is necessary to meet the production demands. Welding conditions can be optimized by controlling various parameters to obtain suitable and highly reliable microstructural properties. In this study, the heat affected zone and weld defects of fillet-welded Angle and T-bar parts were investigated in terms of their microstructural, macrostructural, and mechanical properties to ensure the soundness of AH36 section steel parts joined by continuous welds

Tunneling transport of mono- and few-layers magnetic van der Waals MnPS3

We have investigated the tunneling transport of mono- and few-layers of MnPS3 by using conductive atomic force microscopy. Due to the band alignment of indium tin oxide/MnPS3/Pt-Ir tip junction, the key features of both Schottky junction and Fowler-Nordheim tunneling (FNT) were observed for all the samples with varying thickness. Using the FNT model and assuming the effective electron mass (0.5 me) of MnPS3, we estimate the tunneling barrier height to be 1.31 eV and the dielectric breakdown strength as 5.41 MV/cm

A Tethering Device for Mobile Robot Guidance

A new human and robot interface tool, so-called Navi-Guider, which makes it easy to handle mobile robots, is presented in this paper. The Navi-Guider is easily mounted on a mobile robot and is able to detect a length and a direction of the tether pulled out by a user. Those detected factors are utilized for the robot guidance and control. This paper addresses detailed hardware and software architecture of the Navi-Guider and demonstrates the practical usability of the system through actual experimental tests. The new device, NaviGuider, is an intuitive control tool for moving mobile robots from a place to another place just by pulling the tether

Novel anticancer agent, benzyldihydroxyoctenone, isolated from Streptomyces sp. causes G1 cell cycle arrest and induces apoptosis of HeLa cells

In the course of screening for anticancer agents, a novel active compound, F3-2-5, was isolated from culture broth of Streptomyces sp., KACC91015. Its structure was identified using nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and molecular modeling experiments, and confirmed by total synthesis. The growth of various human cancer cell lines was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by 0.06-0.48 mM F3-2-5 over 24 h. Its IC(50) values were estimated at 37 microM on HeLa, 72 microM on A549, and 190 microM on HT-29 cells. However, F3-2-5 had no antiproliferative effect on normal lymphocytes and normal fibroblasts used as controls. Moreover, it affected cell cycle regulation and caused apoptosis of the HeLa cells; chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation were observed in cells exposed to 80 microM F3-2-5. Western blot analysis revealed that F3-2-5 inhibited phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (pRb) and reduced expression of cyclin-dependent kinase-4 and -6, and cyclin D1 and E, while levels of p53 and p21(WAF1/CIP1) increased. Taken together, these findings show that F3-2-5 inhibits proliferation of HeLa cells by inducing G(1) phase arrest as a consequence of inhibition of pRb phosphorylation following up-regulation of p21(WAF1/CIP1) and p53. Furthermore, apoptosis in HeLa cells treated with F3-2-5 was associated with an increase in Bax and p53, leading to release of cytochrome c, activation of caspase-3, and -8, and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase

Direct Observation of Domain Motion Synchronized with Resistive Switching in Multiferroic Thin Films

The room-temperature resistive switching characteristics of ferroelectric, ferroelastic, and multiferroic materials are promising for application in nonvolatile memory devices. These resistive switching characteristics can be accompanied by a change in the ferroic order parameters via applied external electric and magnetic excitations. However, the dynamic evolution of the order parameters between two electrodes, which is synchronized with resistive switching, has rarely been investigated. In this study, for the first time, we directly monitor the ferroelectric/ferroelastic domain switching dynamics between two electrodes in multiferroic BiFeO₃ (BFO) planar devices, which cause resistive switching, using piezoresponse force microscopy. It is demonstrated that the geometrical relationship between the ferroelectric domain and electrode in BFO planar capacitors with only 71° domain walls significantly affects both the ferroelectric domain dynamics and the resistive switching. The direct observation of domain dynamics relevant to resistive switching in planar devices may pave the way to a controllable combination of ferroelectric characteristics and resistive switching in multiferroic materials

Flexible resistive random access memory devices by using NiOx/GaN microdisk arrays fabricated on graphene films

We report flexible resistive random access memory (ReRAM) arrays fabricated by using NiOx/GaN microdisk arrays on graphene films. The ReRAM device was created from discrete GaN microdisk arrays grown on graphene films produced by chemical vapor deposition, followed by deposition of NiOx thin layers and Au metal contacts. The microdisk ReRAM arrays were transferred to flexible plastic substrates by a simple lift-off technique. The electrical and memory characteristics of the ReRAM devices were investigated under bending conditions. Resistive switching characteristics, including cumulative probability, endurance, and retention, were measured. After 1000 bending repetitions, no significant change in the device characteristics was observed. The flexible ReRAM devices, constructed by using only inorganic materials, operated reliably at temperatures as high as 180 degrees C