Adsorption isotherm and kinetics of diffusion of water accumulated between polypropylene thin film and Si substrate; Neutron reflectivity investigation

宮崎 司*; 宮田 登*; 有馬 寛*; 下北 啓輔*; 山本 勝宏*; 竹中 幹人*; 中西 洋平*; 柴田 基樹*; 青木 裕之; 山田 悟史*; et al.

Colloids and Surfaces A; Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 701, p.134928_1 - 134928_8, 2024/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2024.134928

Isotactic polypropylene (PP) thin films deposited on Si substrates were subjected to neutron reflectivity (NR) measurements under various humidity conditions to evaluate the isothermal adsorption of water accumulated between the PP layer and Si substrate, with focus on the temperature-dependence of the adsorption isotherm. The adsorption of accumulated water followed a single type II isotherm according to the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) classification, regardless of temperature. This can be attributed to the weak interactions between the PP layer and Si substrate, and between the PP layer and water molecules. Hydrophobic PP does not significantly interact with water molecules and the hydrophilic Si surface. Therefore, the interfacial water molecules are simply adsorbed on the native oxide layer on Si via simple interaction between the water molecules and the silicon oxide surface without being affected by the PP layer. Consequently, the adsorption isotherm of the accumulated water follows the single type II adsorption isotherm regardless of temperature, similar to the adsorption isotherm of water simply adsorbed on exposed silica surfaces. These weak interactions of the PP layer with the Si surface and water molecules also lead to fast diffusion kinetics for the accumulated water along the interface.

Analyses of hierarchical structures in SBR rubber by using contrast-variation SANS; Effects of a silane coupling agent

中西 洋平*; 柴田 基樹*; 澤田 諭*; 近藤 寛朗*; 元川 竜平; 熊田 高之; 山本 勝宏*; 三田 一樹*; 宮崎 司*; 竹中 幹人*

Polymer, 306, p.127209_1 - 127209_7, 2024/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2024.127209

Adding silane coupling agents to rubber/silica particles systems improves their mechanical properties and the dispersion of the particles. The improvement is believed to be attributed to the enhanced adsorption of rubber molecules on the surface of silica particles by the silane coupling agent. However, the enhancement of the adsorption by silane coupling agent has not been clarified quantitatively yet. In this study, we have investigated the difference in (i) the adsorption of rubber on silica surfaces and (ii) the aggregation of silica particles in rubber/silica particle systems with and without silane coupling agents by using contrast variation neutron scattering (CV-SANS). The CVSANS results quantitatively clarified the adsorption layer's thickness and the degree of aggregation for both systems. In the case of the system without silane coupling agents, the adsorption layers do not exist around the particles, and the particles tend to aggregate. On the other hand, the adsorption layers of about 5.3 nm are formed on the surface of the particles in the system with silane coupling agents, and the addition of silane coupling agents suppressed the aggregation.

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.

Neutron reflectivity study on the nanostructure of PMMA chains near substrate interfaces based on contrast variation accompanied with small molecule sorption

下北 啓輔*; 山本 勝宏*; 宮田 登*; 中西 洋平*; 柴田 基樹*; 竹中 幹人*; 山田 悟史*; 瀬戸 秀紀*; 青木 裕之; 宮崎 司*

Soft Matter, 19(11), p.2082 - 2089, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SM01482C

In the case of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin films on a Si substrate, thermal annealing induces the formation of a layer of PMMA chains tightly adsorbed near the substrate interface, and the strongly adsorbed PMMA remains on the substrate, even after washing with toluene (hereinafter called adsorbed sample). Neutron reflectometry revealed that the concerned structure consists of three layers: an inner layer (tightly bound on the substrate), a middle layer (bulk-like), and an outer layer (surface) in the adsorbed sample. When an adsorbed sample was exposed to toluene vapor, it became clear that, between the solid adsorption layer (which does not swell) and bulk-like swollen layer, there was a "buffer layer" that could sorb more toluene molecules than the bulk-like layer. This buffer layer was found not only in the adsorbed sample but also in the standard spin-cast PMMA thin films on the substrate. When the polymer chains were firmly adsorbed and immobilized on the Si substrate, the freedom of the possible structure right next to the tightly bound layer was reduced, which restricted the relaxation of the conformation of the polymer chain strongly. The "buffer layer" was manifested by the sorption of toluene with different scattering length density contrasts.

Achievement of low beam loss at high-intensity operation of J-PARC 3 GeV RCS

Saha, P. K.; 岡部 晃大; 仲野谷 孝充; 吉本 政弘; 菖蒲田 義博; 原田 寛之; 田村 文彦; 沖田 英史; 畠山 衆一郎; 守屋 克洋; et al.

Proceedings of 19th Annual Meeting of Particle Accelerator Society of Japan (インターネット), p.1 - 5, 2023/01

https://www.pasj.jp/web_publish/pasj2022/proceedings/PDF/TUOP/TUOPA03.pdf

The RCS beam power for operation to the MLF has been increased to 800 kW recently. The total beam loss even at the designed 1 MW beam power has been well controlled, but the uncontrolled beam losses, especially those caused by the foil scattering of the circulating beam during multi-turn injection are still high and causes extremely high residual radiation at the injection area. To further minimizing such a beam loss, we have implemented a new approach by minimizing the injection beam size and using a smaller size stripper foil. A smaller foil reduces foil hitting of the circulating beam and the corresponding foil scattering uncontrolled beam losses. In addition, an optimized transverse painting area matching with a smaller injection beam also gives a smaller circulating beam emittance to reduce beam loss at the collimator section and its downstream. The corresponding residual radiation for operation at 700 kW beam power was measured to be significantly reduced at the injection area, collimator section and it's downstream. A smaller injection beam size was also tested at 1MW beam power and the residual beam loss is minimized to 0.01%, which is nearly 1/4 reduction from the previous 1 MW test operation in 2020.

Design and actual performance of J-PARC 3 GeV rapid cycling synchrotron for high-intensity operation

山本 風海; 金正 倫計; 林 直樹; Saha, P. K.; 田村 文彦; 山本 昌亘; 谷 教夫; 高柳 智弘; 神谷 潤一郎; 菖蒲田 義博; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(9), p.1174 - 1205, 2022/09

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2038301

J-PARC 3GeVシンクロトロン(RCS)は、最大1MWの大強度ビームを25Hzという早い繰り返しで中性子実験及び下流の主リングシンクロトロンに供給することを目的に設計された。2007年の加速器調整運転開始以降、RCSではビーム試験を通じて加速器の設計性能が満たされているかの確認を進め、必要に応じてより安定に運転するための改善を行ってきた。その結果として、近年RCSは1MWのビーム出力で連続運転を行うことが可能となり、共用運転に向けた最後の課題の抽出と対策の検討が進められている。本論文ではRCSの設計方針と実際の性能、および改善点について議論する。

Neutron reflectivity on the mobile surface and immobile interfacial layers in the poly(vinyl acetate) adsorption layer on a Si substrate with deuterated toluene vapor-induced swelling

宮崎 司*; 下北 啓輔*; 山本 勝宏*; 青木 裕之; 山田 悟史*; 宮田 登*

Langmuir, 36(49), p.15181 - 15188, 2020/12

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c03025

We investigated the polymer chain dynamics in a 2-3 nm thick poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) adsorption layer on a Si substrate with a native oxide layer via neutron reflectometry combined with toluene vapor-induced swelling. We can investigate the polymer chain dynamics difference in the film thickness direction by the difference in the degree of swelling of the polymer layers detected by neutron reflectometry. The mobility of the polymer chains depends on the distance from the substrate. The results elucidated that the interfacial layer with a thickness of approximately 1 nm did not swell at all with toluene vapor, which is a solvent for PVAc. Meanwhile, the surface layer excessively swells with toluene vapor compared to the bulk. This indicates that the polymer chain within the interfacial region is immobilized by the substrate through hydrogen-bonding interaction, but in the surface region, the surface effect overcomes this interfacial interaction. We concluded that the polymer chains in the adsorption layer are either strongly constrained to the substrate, owing to hydrogen bonding, or more mobile than the bulk, owing to the surface effect.

Elucidation of a heterogeneous layered structure in the thickness direction of poly(vinyl alcohol) films with solvent vapor-induced swelling

宮崎 司*; 宮田 登*; 浅田 光則*; 津村 佳弘*; 鳥飼 直也*; 青木 裕之; 山本 勝宏*; 金谷 利治*; 川口 大輔*; 田中 敬二*

Langmuir, 35(34), p.11099 - 11107, 2019/08

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b01665

We investigated the swelling behaviors of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) films deposited on Si wafers with water vapor, which is a good solvent for PVA for elucidating structural and dynamical heterogeneities in the film thickness direction. Using deuterated water vapor, structural and dynamical differences in the thickness direction can be detected easily as different degrees of swelling in the thickness direction by neutron reflectivity. Consequently, the PVA film with a degree of saponification exceeding 98 mol % exhibits a three-layered structure in the thickness direction. It is considered that an adsorption layer consisting of molecular chains that are strongly adsorbed onto the solid substrate is formed at the interface with the substrate, which is not swollen with water vapor compared with the bulk-like layer above it. The adsorption layer is considered to exhibit significantly slower dynamics than the bulk. Furthermore, a surface layer that swells excessively compared with the underneath bulk-like layer is found. This excess swelling of the surface layer may be related to a higher mobility of the molecular chains or lower crystallinity at the surface region compared to the underneath bulk-like layer. Meanwhile, for the PVA film with a much lower degree of saponification, a thin layer with a slightly lower degree of swelling than the bulk-like layer above it can be detected at the interface between the film and substrate only under a high humidity condition. This layer is considered to be the adsorption layer composed of molecular chains loosely adsorbed onto the Si substrate.

広角X線回折および広角中性子回折に基づく高分子結晶構造の精密解析

田代 孝二*; 塙坂 真*; 山元 博子*; Wasanasuk, K.*; Jayaratri, P.*; 吉澤 功徳*; 田中 伊知朗*; 新村 信雄*; 日下 勝弘*; 細谷 孝明*; et al.

高分子論文集, 71(11), p.508 - 526, 2014/11

https://doi.org/10.1295/koron.71.508

高分子結晶構造の詳細を、水素原子位置まで含めて明らかにすることを目的とし、高エネルギーX線および中性子回折データの収集ならびにそれらの解析結果を、さまざまの結晶性高分子を例として総合的に記述した。まず、最近にまで至る高分子構造解析手法の発展について概要を述べるとともに、それらの各段階における問題点について考察した。斜方晶型ポリエチレン、アタクティックポリビニルアルコール、ポリ乳酸およびそのステレオコンプレックスなど、いろいろの意味で重要な高分子について、これまでに提案されてきた構造を再吟味するとともに、新たに提案した構造について記述した。水素原子位置についても精確に決定された場合は、それらの構造情報に基づく極限力学物性の定量的予測を行った。さらにはポリジアセチレンの場合について、X線および中性子構造解析によって得られた精密な電子密度分布および原子位置座標の情報にいわゆるX-N法を適用し、主鎖骨格に沿った結合電子密度分布についての導出についても言及した。構造物性相関解明における高分子結晶構造解析の今後の展開についても言及した。

超深地層研究所計画 年度報告書(2011年度)

國丸 貴紀; 見掛 信一郎; 西尾 和久; 鶴田 忠彦; 松岡 稔幸; 石橋 正祐紀; 笹尾 英嗣; 引間 亮一; 丹野 剛男; 真田 祐幸; et al.

JAEA-Review 2013-018, 169 Pages, 2013/09

JAEA-Review-2013-018.pdf:15.71MB

日本原子力研究開発機構東濃地科学センターでは、「地層処分技術に関する研究開発」のうち深地層の科学的研究(地層科学研究)の一環として、結晶質岩(花崗岩)を対象とした超深地層研究所計画を進めている。本計画は、「第1段階; 地表からの調査予測研究段階」、「第2段階; 研究坑道の掘削を伴う研究段階」、「第3段階; 研究坑道を利用した研究段階」の3段階からなり、2011年度は、第2段階及び第3段階の調査研究を進めた。本報告書は、2010年度に改訂した「超深地層研究所地層科学研究基本計画」に基づいた、超深地層研究所計画の第2段階及び第3段階の調査研究のうち2011年度に実施した(1)調査研究、(2)施設建設、(3)共同研究等の成果を取りまとめたものである。