Tomoyo Goto

CO Sensing Performance of a Micro Thermoelectric Gas Sensor with AuPtPd/SnO2 Catalyst and Effects of a Double Catalyst Structure with Pt/α-Al2O3

The CO sensing properties of a micro thermoelectric gas sensor (micro-TGS) with a double AuPtPd/SnO2 and Pt/α-Al2O3 catalyst were investigated. While several nanometer sized Pt and Pd particles were uniformly dispersed on SnO2, the Au particles were aggregated as particles measuring >10 nm in diameter. In situ diffuse reflectance Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT) analysis of the catalyst showed a CO adsorption peak on Pt and Pd, but no clear peak corresponding to the interaction between CO and Au was detected. Up to 200 °C, CO combustion was more temperature dependent than that of H2, while H2 combustion was activated by repeated exposure to H2 gas during the periodic gas test. Selective CO sensing of the micro-TGS against H2 was attempted using a double catalyst structure with 0.3–30 wt% Pt/α-Al2O3 as a counterpart combustion catalyst. The sensor output of the micro-TGS decreased with increasing Pt content in the Pt/α-Al2O3 catalyst, by cancelling out the combustion heat from the AuPtPd/SnO2 catalyst. In addition, the AuPtPd/SnO2 and 0.3 wt% Pt/α-Al2O3 double catalyst sensor showed good and selective CO detection. We therefore demonstrated that our micro-TGS with double catalyst structure is useful for controlling the gas selectivity of CO against H2.

Synthesis of TiO2-Modified Hydroxyapatite with Various Morphology by Urea-Assisted Hydrothermal Method

In this study, we synthesized the TiO2-modified hydroxyapatite (HAp) with various morphologies by hydrothermal treatment using urea decomposition, at 160 oC for 6 h. After hydrothermal treatment, carbonate-substituted HAp and TiO2 (anatase) phases were formed in products using 1.0-0.1 M urea solution. The morphology of synthesized HAp changed from small plate-shaped to long needle-shaped crystals with decreasing the urea concentration. The photocatalytic property for samples was investigated by decoloration test using 25 ppm methylene blue solution. In comparison with HAp samples without TiO2, the TiO2-modified HAp clearly showed the photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue by UV irradiation.

Oxidation of Pentatitanium Trisilicide (Ti5Si3) Powder at High Temperature

The oxidation of pentatitanium trisilicide (Ti5Si3) powder at high temperature was investigated in order to determine the suitability of this ceramic material for advanced application in an oxidation atmosphere at high temperature. Titanium silicide has been attracted for years as an engineering ceramics due to its high hardness, high melting point, and good chemical stability. The samples were oxidized from 300 to 1000 °C for 1 to 5 h in air. The mass changes were measured to estimate the oxidation resistance of the sample. The mass gain of the sample oxidized at 1000 °C for 5 h was about 26 % of the theoretical oxidation mass change. The commercial powder, Ti5Si3 showed an excellent oxidation resistance at 1000 °C, because the surface film of both titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide formed by oxidation acted as an oxidation resistant layer.

Thermoelectric Array Sensors with Selective Combustion Catalysts for Breath Gas Monitoring

Inflammable breath gases such as H2 and CH4 are used as bio markers for monitoring the condition of the colon. However, their typical concentrations of below 100 ppm pose sensitivity and selectivity challenges to current gas sensing systems without the use of chromatography. We fabricated a compact, gas-selective thermoelectric array sensor (TAS) that uses micro-machined sensor devices with three different combustion catalysts to detect gases such as H2, CO, and CH4 in breath. Using Pt/Pt-W thin-film micro-heater meanders, Pd/Al2O3, Pt,Pd,Au/Co3O4, and Pt/Al2O3 catalysts were heated to 320, 200, and 125 °C, respectively, and the gas sensing performances of the TAS for each gas and for a model breath gas mixture of 100 ppm H2, 25 ppm CO, 50 ppm CH4, and 199 ppm CO2 in air were investigated. Owing to its high catalyst temperature, the Pd/Al2O3 catalyst burned all three gases, while the Pt,Pd,Au/Co3O4 burned CO and H2 and the Pt/Al2O3 burned H2 selectively. To calibrate the gas concentration of the mixture gas without the use of a gas separation tool, linear discriminant analysis was applied to measure the sensing performance of TAS. To enhance the gas selectivity against H2, a double catalyst structure was integrated into the TAS sensor.

Solvothermal Synthesis of TiO2-Modified Hydroxyapatite Using Water-Isopropanol Solution

We synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles dispersed hydroxyapatite (TiO2-modifed HAp) by solvothermal treatment of α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP) using water-isopropanol solution including tetraisopropyl orthotitanate (TTIP). Rod-shaped HAp with TiO2 nanoparticles were formed by solvothermal treatment. HAp formation decreased with increasing the isopropanol fraction in the solution with TTIP. With increasing the treatment period, the rate of HAp formation in sample increased. The aspect ratio of HAp decreased with increasing the isopropanol fraction in the solution. Synthesized TiO2-modifed HAp samples shows the photocatalytic decoloration of methylene blue under UV irradiation.

Synthesis of Silicon Nitride Ceramic Fibers and the Effect of Nitrogen Atmosphere on their Morphology

The effect of nitrogen gas flow rate on the morphology of silicon nitride fibers obtained via carbothermal nitridation heat treatment method was investigated. A precursor containing silicon, oxygen and carbon was obtained by a sol-gel method from a mixture of tetraethyl orthosilicate, polyvinyl alcohol, H2O and ethanol. A white wool-like product was obtained by heat treating the precursor placed in an alumina crucible under a 0.5 MPa nitrogen gas pressure at 1500oC with different nitrogen gas flow rates. The mass-based production rates of the samples obtained from the precursor powder were 20-30% for the different nitrogen gas flow rates. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the samples contained α-Si3N4 as the major phase along with β-Si3N4, Si2N2O and a small amount of amorphous product as minor phases. Unique twisted fibers with diameters of several hundreds of nanometers were found among the straight fibers by SEM observation. Elemental analysis using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated that silicon and nitrogen were contained in the twisted fibers along with approximately 68 at.% of oxygen and several at.% of aluminum, which might have come from the crucible material. The SiAlON-like structures might have been formed by the partial dissolution of Al and O in the Si3N4 fibers. It was considered that the twisted morphology of some fibers might be formed by co-existing of β-SiAlON and/or amorphous phase regions in the Si3N4 fiber and resultant distortion of the fibers.