Phase diagram of the polystyrene/near-critical water system

柴田 基樹*; 竹中 幹人*; 元川 竜平; 熊田 高之; 上田 祐生; 宮崎 司*; 中西 洋平*; 阿部 淳*; 岩瀬 裕希*; 柴山 充弘*; et al.

Polymer, 340, p.129203_1 - 129203_7, 2025/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2025.129203

The development of effective plastic degradation methods is crucial to address environmental pollution. Hydrothermal liquefaction using near-critical water is a promising technology, but the fundamental dissolution and decomposition mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigates the thermodynamics of a polystyrene (PS)/water system under near-critical conditions to elucidate this mechanism. We performed in situ small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) to observe the swelling of PS particles in deuterated water (DO) at various temperatures under pressures of 10 MPa and 25 MPa. By applying the (FHS) theory to the swelling data, We quantitatively determined the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter as a function of temperature and pressure by applying the FHS theory to the swelling data. Based on these results, we constructed a phase diagram of the PS/DO system. The diagram reveals that miscibility increases with increasing pressure. This work provides a thermodynamical properties of water solutions of polymers under near-critical conditions for optimizing industrial hydrothermal recycling processes.

スピンコントラスト変調中性子小角散乱法と反射率法を用いた複合材料のナノ構造解析

熊田 高之

水素科学技術の将来のために, 3(1), p.2 - 6, 2025/10

Spin-contrast variation (SCV) is a technique that exploits the strong dependence of the coherent scattering length of thermal and cold neutrons from protons on their relative spin orientation. By analyzing the proton-polarization dependent scattering of polarized neutrons, SCV enables the elucidation of the structure of individual components as well as the degree of interpenetration between them in composite materials. Recently, we applied SCV small-angle neutron scattering (SCV-SANS) to determine the nanostructure of ice crystals formed in rapidly frozen sugar solutions. We also employed SCV neutron reflectivity (SCV-NR) to reveal the interpenetration between a silane coupling agent layer on inorganic substrates and rubber, which plays a crucial role in their adhesion.

Confined water distribution in the ionomer within the catalyst layers of polymer electrolyte fuel cells; A Small-angle neutron scattering study

岩瀬 裕希*; 有馬 寛*; 原田 雅史*; 熊田 高之

Chemical Engineering Journal, 510, p.161321_1 - 161321_11, 2025/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2025.161321

The humidity dependence of the structure of catalyst-coated membranes in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) was investigated using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The results showed that the water volume in the ionomer linearly increases with humidity from an intermediate humidity (50% RH), reaching values similar to those observed in the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) at 80% RH. Time-resolved SANS reveals that the catalyst layer binds water more strongly than the PEM. Water distribution in the ionomers within the catalyst layers of an operating PEFC (80 degree, 80% RH) increased with the increase in the current density, affecting its PEFC performance. The behavior of the water distribution in the catalyst layers was closer to that of the water distribution in the gas diffusion layers than that in the PEM.

Kinetics of structural changes in starch retrogradation observed by simultaneous SANS/FTIR-ATR measurements

平田 芳信*; 金子 文俊*; Radulescu, A.*; 西津 貴久*; 勝野 那嘉子*; 今泉 鉄平*; 元川 竜平; 熊田 高之; 中川 洋

Journal of Applied Glycoscience, 72(1), p.7201102_1 - 7201102_9, 2025/02

https://doi.org/10.5458/jag.7201102

SANS/FTIR-ATR同時測定システムを用いて、逆分解過程におけるジャガイモデンプンの複数の構造変化を記録した。SANSパターンでは、肩のようなピークが時間とともに顕著になる。二重らせん構造が整然と並んだ量を示すピーク強度Imaxは時間の経過とともに増加し、レトログラデーションによってデンプンがナノスケールで整然と再構築されたことが示された。FTIR-ATRスペクトルでは、1042cmと1016cmの吸収の比率が増加し、デンプンの短距離秩序構造の量が逆行分解中に増加したことが示された。の平衡値の半分を得るまでの時間は、Imaxのそれよりも大きかった。デンプンの短距離秩序構造の変化は、ナノ構造の変化よりも先に収束することが観察された。これらの結果は、二重らせん構造がアミロペクチン側鎖によって最初に形成され、その後、これらの二重らせん構造が整然と配列することを示している。

Low-background ultrahigh-purity aluminium window for small-angle neutron scattering using monochromatic cold neutrons

熊田 高之; 元川 竜平; 岩瀬 裕希*

Journal of Applied Crystallography, 57(Part 3), p.728 - 733, 2024/06

https://doi.org/10.1107/S160057672400373X

We found that intensity of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) from ultrahigh-purity aluminium (5N-Al) was lower than that from aluminium alloys by a factor of 40 in maximum, and thus replaced a 500 mm-diameter aluminium alloy neutron window by the 5N-Al window at SANS-J. We succeeded in decreasing the intensity of background in range of the magnitude of scattering vector Q between 0.02 and 0.2 nm by a factor of 10 in maximum. This result indicates that, the 5N-Al window, which is made thicker to compensate lower tensile strength, generates much lower background than the aluminium alloy windows. The 5N-Al window is suitable for large-diameter neutron window in SANS diffractometers and windows in their environmental apparatus, which cannot be made of single crystalline silicon due to its poor fracture strength, processability, and/or affinity with metallic materials.

スピンコントラスト変調中性子小角散乱を用いた急冷濃厚糖溶液中に生成するナノ氷結晶の観測

熊田 高之; 中川 洋; 三浦 大輔; 関根 由莉奈; 元川 竜平; 廣井 孝介; 稲村 泰弘; 奥 隆之; 大石 一城*; 森川 利明*; et al.

波紋, 34(2), p.50 - 53, 2024/05

https://doi.org/10.5611/hamon.34.2_50

本研究では、スピンコントラスト変調小角散乱法を用いてグルコース濃厚糖溶液を急冷すると氷結晶は平面上になり、その厚みは氷晶生成臨界半径と同程度の数ナノメートルしかないことを明らかにした。本研究は、グルコース分子が氷結晶の特定面に付着してその方向の成長を完全に止めてしまうことを示唆している。

New standard for low temperature sample environment at JAEA/JRR-3

金子 耕士; 田端 千紘; 萩原 雅人; 山内 宏樹; 大場 洋次郎; 熊田 高之; 久保田 正人; 児島 佑樹*; 生田目 望; 佐々木 未来; et al.

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 41, p.011015_1 - 011015_6, 2024/03

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.41.011015

We will introduce our recent update on low temperature system for neutron diffraction experiments. This is characterized by advantages such as liquid He free and sophisticated automatic temperature control functions, which can be a new standard for low temperature and high magnetic field experiments of neutron scattering.

Structural changes of polystyrene particles in subcritical and supercritical water revealed by in situ small-angle neutron scattering

柴田 基樹*; 中西 洋平*; 阿部 淳*; 有馬 寛*; 岩瀬 裕希*; 柴山 充弘*; 元川 竜平; 熊田 高之; 高田 慎一; 山本 勝宏*; et al.

Polymer Journal, 55(11), p.1165 - 1170, 2023/11

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-023-00817-1

Marine ecosystem degradation due to micro plastics is a significant environmental problem, as acknowledged by Sustainable Development Goal 14. Decomposition of plastics using near critical or supercritical water is one of the promising methods to reduce micro plastics. To attain the optimization of the method for improving environmental friendliness, it is necessary to clarify the structural change of materials during the process. We, thus, investigated the decomposition processes of polystyrene particles dispersed in deuterated water (DO) during heating under near critical or supercritical conditions by using in situ small-angle neutron scattering. Under subcritical conditions, the PS particles were swollen by DO due to increased compatibility with temperature. Near the critical point in subcritical conditions, the cleavage of PS chains in the particles occurred, so that the swollen ratio was much enhanced though the PS particles kept their shapes. In a supercritical condition, the PS particles were degraded into oil including oligomers or monomers and the phase-separated structures with styrene-rich and DO-rich regions.

Heterogeneous aggregation of humic acids studied by small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering

斉藤 拓巳*; 元川 竜平; 大窪 貴洋*; 三浦 大輔*; 熊田 高之

Environmental Science & Technology, 57(26), p.9802 - 9810, 2023/07

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c02028

Aggregation of humic acids (HAs) were studied by small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering techniques. The combination of these techniques enables us to examine aggregation structures of heterogeneous HA particles. Two HAs with distinctive compositions were examined; a commercial HA (PAHA) and a HA extracted from deep sedimentary groundwater (HHA). While macroscopic coagulation tests showed that these HAs were stable in solutions except for HHA at pH 6, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and X-ray scattering (SAXS) revealed that they formed aggregates with the sizes exceeding sub-micrometer length scale. The SAXS curves of PAHA remarkably varied with pD, whereas the SANS curves did not. With the help of theoretical fittings, it was revealed that PAHA aggregates consisted of two domains: poorly hydrated cores and well-hydrated proton-rich shells. The cores are (dis)aggregated with pD inside the aggregates of the shell. The SANS and SAXS curves of HHA resemble each other, and their intensities at low q increased with a decrease of pD, indicating the formation of homogeneous aggregates. This study revealed that distinctive aggregation behaviors exist in humic substances with heterogeneous structures like PAHA, which is invaluable for their roles in the fate of contaminants or nutrients in aqueous environments.

Structure analysis of a buried interface between organic and porous inorganic layers using spin-contrast-variation neutron reflectivity

熊田 高之; 三浦 大輔*; 阿久津 和宏*; 大石 一城*; 森川 利明*; 河村 幸彦*; 鈴木 淳市*; 奥 隆之; 鳥飼 直也*; 新関 智丈*

Journal of Applied Crystallography, 55(5), p.1147 - 1153, 2022/10

AA2021-0903.pdf:1.06MB

https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600576722007506

スピンコントラスト変調中性子反射率法は一つの試料一つのビームラインから複数の反射率曲線が得られる手法である。我々はその特徴を生かしてメチル化ポリシラザンから作られた多孔質シリカ界面においてアクリルウレタン樹脂は多孔質体内に入り込まないことを見出した。