Shinichiro Oke

Carbon-Nanotube Growth in Alcohol-Vapor Plasma

We have successfully grown carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using alcohol. When 0.01-wt% ferrocene was added to the alcohol, vertically aligned CNTs grew at 650degC. By contrast, a few CNTs and mostly carbon nanoparticles were obtained by pure alcohol PECVD even though the Fe catalyst was coated on Si substrates. Comparing this PECVD experiment with thermal alcohol CVD showed that only the PECVD method can be used to grow CNTs under the reported experimental conditions. To understand the plasma properties for CNT growth, particularly plasma species contained in a gas phase of alcohol plasma, the plasma was analyzed using optical-emission spectroscopy (OES) and quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS). From the OES measurement, emission peaks from the excitation states of C2, CH, CHO, CH2O, CO, H, O2, C+, and CO+ were identified, while the QMS measurement also showed the existence of H2, O, and CO. These results indicate that, in alcohol plasma, oxidants and reductants exist together and potentially promote/suppress CNT growth depending on the process conditions. The contribution of CxHy (x ges 1, y ges 3) radicals, which were produced by decomposition reactions in alcohol plasma as a CNT precursor, is discussed.

Development of Y-Shaped Filtered-Arc-Deposition System for Preparing Multielement Composition-Controlled Film

In recent years, multielement films have been required for high-performance cutting tools. In this paper, a Y-shaped filtered-arc-deposition (Y-FAD) system with two vacuum-arc sources was developed. First, an optimum magnetic coil arrangement was experimentally established to transport two plasma beams through the Y-shaped duct at the same time. Since the two plasma beams have the same electrical polarity, they naturally tend to repel each other. Therefore, in the second step, the two plasma beams were combined into one plasma beam through a mixer part by vibrating the plasma beams with a laterally oscillating magnetic field. Third, the electrical bias applied to the duct was optimized to obtain a higher transportation rate of plasma and deposition rate. After these design developments and tuning, titanium-aluminum (Ti-Al) film with a combined deposition pattern was finally obtained with Al and Ti cathodes. The controllability of the composition ratio by the arc current was verified.

Removal of Diamond-Like Carbon Film by Oxygen-Dominated Plasma Beam Converted from Filtered Carbon-Cathodic Arc

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) film is sometimes removed using oxygen plasma in order to reuse workpieces such as cutting tools and press molds. In this study, an oxygen-dominated plasma beam was generated by converting the cathodic carbon arc plasma beam formed in T-shaped filtered-arc-deposition (T-FAD) in order to investigate the feasibility of using the plasma beam for the removal of DLC film. When the oxygen (O2) gas flow rate was relatively high (50 ml/min) and the substrate was biased (DC -500 V), the plasma beam in front of the substrate was confirmed to contain a considerable amount of excited oxygen atoms, since an atomic oxygen spectral line (777 nm) emitted from the plasma beam had relatively strong radiation intensity. The plasma beam was irradiated on a tetrahedral amorphous carbon film, a hydrogen-free sp3-rich DLC film, prepared on a hard alloy (WC with 6 wt % Co binder) substrate. It was found that a plasma beam generated with an appropriate O2 gas flow rate and applied substrate bias was able to etch the DLC film proportionally to the treatment time. The surface was not roughened when the treatment time was 1.5 times longer than the intended time to remove a given thickness of DLC film.

Preparation of Arc Black and Carbon Nano Balloon by Arc Discharge and Their Application to a Fuel Cell

Arc black (AcB) was prepared in N2 gas using the twin-torch arc discharge apparatus, and a hollow capsule with graphite layers named a carbon nano balloon (CNB) was obtained by heat treatment of the AcB in Ar gas at 2400 °C. Transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and compressive resistivity measurement confirmed that the CNB was well graphitized. In the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) application of these carbon nanomaterials, catalyst metal nanoparticles were supported on the AcB, and a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) was formed from the catalyst-supported AcB and the CNB by hotpressing them on an electrolyte film. The MEA containing the CNB resulted in a higher DMFC performance than that without the CNB, indicating that the CNB with lower compressive resistivity than the AcB works as a material for the improvement of electric conductivity in an MEA.

Removal of Machine Oil from Metal Surface by Mesoplasma Jet under Open Atmosphere

An attempt was made to employ the plasma-energized jet (PEN-jet) generated by pulsed arc discharge, one of the atmospheric-pressure mesoplasmas, for removal of machine oil from the surface of electrically-grounded aluminum (Al) alloy substrate under open atmosphere. Three types of nozzle configurations were examined; a metal nozzle, ceramic nozzle, and electrically-floated metal nozzle. Electric input power to the pulsed arc plasma discharge was 700 W constant. First, free-burning of the PEN-jet was observed as a function of air gas flow. When the PEN-jets were irradiated to the clean substrate, the PEN-jet with the metal nozzle caused substrate damage by the arc spot due to transferring arc discharge. Then the PEN-jet with the ceramic nozzle was irradiated to the oily substrate. The adhesion strength of sealant and water contact angle of the treated surface were then measured. As a result, these values of the oily substrate treated by the PEN-jet were almost the same as those of clean substrate. The treated surface was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and reflectance spectroscopy. Their spectral profiles clearly indicated oil removal from the surface by PEN-jet.

Life-Cycle CO2 Emissions in Public Welfare Facilities Equipped With a PV/Solar Heat/Cogeneration System

The reduction effects of life-cycle CO2 emissions are examined when introducing a PV/solar heat/cogeneration system into public welfare facilities (hotel and hospital). Life-cycle CO2 emissions are calculated as the sum of the operating and manufacturing processes. The system is operated by the dynamic programming method into which hourly data of electric and heat loads, solar insolation, and atmospheric temperature during a year are input. The proposed system is compared with a conventional system and a cogeneration system. The life-cycle CO2 emissions of the PV/solar heat/cogeneration system are lower than those of the conventional system by 33 points in the hotel and 30 points in the hospital.Copyright