Nanocellulose hydrogels formed via crystalline transformation from cellulose I to II and subsequent freeze cross-linking reaction

Sekine, Yurina; Nankawa, Takuya; Hiroi, Kosuke; Oba, Yojiro*; Nagakawa, Yoshiyasu*; Sugita, Tsuyoshi; Shibayama, Yuki; Ikeda-Fukazawa, Tomoko*

Carbohydrate Polymers, 327, p.121538_1 - 121538_11, 2024/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121538

We describe non-toxic, tough nanocellulose (NC) hydrogels formed from chemically unmodified NC by cellulose crystalline transformation and subsequent freeze cross-linking reaction. Using low-concentration NaOH and freezing together induced the crystalline transformation of NC from cellulose I to II via freeze concentration. After the crystalline transformation, cross-linking between the NC and CA in the freeze concentration layer (FCL) provided a strong NC network structure, forming NC hydrogels with high mechanical strength. The freeze-cross-linked NC hydrogel easily retained powder adsorbents in its inner space by mixing the NC-NaOH sol and the powder, and the hydrogel showed high removal efficiency for heavy metals. The results highlight the versatility of chemically unmodified celluloses in developing functional materials, suggest possible practical applications.

Random media criticality analysis methods in Monte Carlo solver Solomon

Ueki, Taro

Proceedings of 12th International Conference on Nuclear Criticality Safety (ICNC2023) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2023/10

A Monte Carlo Solver Solomon has been under development as an object-oriented code written in the C++14 standards. It consists of regular capabilities of criticality safety analysis and a special capability of random media criticality. In the latter capability, Solomon is equipped with a class for the random media modeled by the incomplete randomized Weierstrass function (IRWF). By this modeling, the uncertainty of random media criticality can be evaluated by executing criticality calculations over many IRWF-replicas. However, it is impossible to know beforehand how many IRWF-replicas should be computed. To deal with this issue, a bounded amplification (BA) technique has been newly equipped in Solomon. Applying BA to IRWF, it is possible to reduce the number of IRWF-replicas by more than 95% in terms of the upper limit estimation of neutron effective multiplication factor. Solomon is also equipped with a voxel-overlay (VO). This functionality is shown to be valuable for evaluating the resonance self-shielding effect.

Microscopic structural changes during the freeze cross-linking reaction in carboxymethyl cellulose nanofiber hydrogels

Miura, Daisuke*; Sekine, Yurina; Nankawa, Takuya; Sugita, Tsuyoshi; Oba, Yojiro; Hiroi, Kosuke; Ozawa, Tatsuhiko

Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications (Internet), 4, p.100251_1 - 100251_9, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carpta.2022.100251

The reaction mechanism of carboxymethyl cellulose nanofiber (CMCF) hydrogel formed by freeze-crosslinking was investigated. We succeeded in observing the hierarchical structural changes during the freeze-crosslinking reaction. Freeze-crosslinked CMCF hydrogels exhibited a characteristic hierarchical alignment structure from the angstrom to micrometer scale that differed from normal cross-linked CMCF hydrogels produced by a conventional method without freezing. It was shown that the characteristic hierarchical structure contributes the excellent mechanical properties of freeze-crosslinked CMCF hydrogels.

Using CO Reactions to Achieve Mass-spectrometric Discrimination in Simultaneous Plutonium-isotope Speciation with Inductively Coupled Plasma-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Matsueda, Makoto; Kawakami, Tomohiko*; Koarai, Kazuma; Terashima, Motoki; Fujiwara, Kenso; Iijima, Kazuki; Furukawa, Makoto*; Takagai, Yoshitaka*

Chemistry Letters, 51(7), p.678 - 682, 2022/07

https://doi.org/10.1246/cl.220160

New methodology for a simultaneous isotope speciation of various Pu isotopes without complicated isobaric interferences is developed by using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In analyzing ICP tandem MS (ICP-MS/MS), CO gas reactions in a dynamic reaction cell (DRC) almost eliminated the background noise intensity produced by isobaric interference from isotopes originating from actinides such as Am, Cm, and U at the locations (m/z) of significant Pu isotopes (Pu, Pu, Pu, Pu, Pu).

Improvement of nano-polycrystalline diamond anvil cells with Zr-based bulk metallic glass cylinder for higher pressures; Application to Laue-TOF diffractometer

Yamashita, Keishiro*; Komatsu, Kazuki*; Ohara, Takashi; Munakata, Koji*; Irifune, Tetsuo*; Shimmei, Toru*; Sugiyama, Kazumasa*; Kawamata, Toru*; Kagi, Hiroyuki*

High Pressure Research, 42(1), p.121 - 135, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.1080/08957959.2022.2045982

A Cellulose nanofiber hydrogel prepared via freeze cross-linking

Sekine, Yurina

Kata Gijutsu, 36(8), p.70 - 73, 2021/08

We developed a cross-linking method using freeze concentration and used it to synthesize a cellulose nanofiber hydrogel with high compressive strength. We will introduce the gelation mechanism and properties of the hydrogels in this article.

A Study of a calibration technique for a newly developed thyroid monitor and its uncertainties due to body size for radioiodine measurements

Yoshitomi, Hiroshi; Nishino, Sho; Tanimura, Yoshihiko; Takahashi, Masa

Radiation Measurements, 133, p.106279_1 - 106279_6, 2020/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2020.106279

Uncertainty of the body size on the counting efficiency of a newly developed thyroid monitor was estimated by Monte Carlo simulations using several voxel phantoms. Overlying tissue thickness was a major impact factor on the counting efficiency. As a result, uncertainty related to the body size of the monitored subject was found to be 25%.

Extraction of trivalent rare earths and minor actinides from nitric acid with -tetradodecyldiglycolamide (TDdDGA) by using mixer-settler extractors in a hot cell

Ban, Yasutoshi; Suzuki, Hideya; Hotoku, Shinobu; Kawasaki, Tomohiro*; Sagawa, Hiroshi*; Tsutsui, Nao; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange, 37(1), p.27 - 37, 2019/00

https://doi.org/10.1080/07366299.2019.1586347

A continuous counter-current experiment using TDdDGA was performed using mixer-settler extractors installed in a hot cell. Nitric acid containing minor actinides (MAs: Am and Cm), rare earths (REs: Y, La, Nd, and Eu), and other fission products (Sr, Cs, Zr, Mo, Ru, Rh, and Pd) was fed to the extractor. TDdDGA effectively extracted MAs and REs from the feed, while other fission products were barely extracted. The extracted MAs and REs were back-extracted by bringing them in contact with 0.02 mol/dm nitric acid, and they were collected as the MA-RE fraction. The proportions of MA and RE in the MA-RE fraction were 98% and 86%, respectively. These results demonstrated the applicability of TDdDGA as an extractant for MAs and REs.

Construction of adult Japanese voxel phantoms with various body sizes and their applications to evaluation of organ doses due to external photon irradiation

Sato, Kaoru; Takahashi, Fumiaki

Hoken Butsuri, 52(4), p.247 - 258, 2017/12

https://doi.org/10.5453/jhps.52.247

Organ doses for dose assessment in radiation protection are derived from ICRP reference phantoms (Male:RCP-AM, Female:RCP-AF) with standard Caucasian physiques. In adult, Japanese are smaller than Caucasian. To study impact of differences in physiques between Caucasian and Japanese on organ doses, we previously constructed Japanese phantoms (Male:JM-103, Female:JF-103) with average adult Japanese physiques. In addition, adult Japanese physiques have also wide distribution. Thus, we newly modeled DJM (Male) and DJF (Female) with 8 physiques by changing the perimeters of JM-103 and JF-103. Organ doses due to external photon irradiation of DJM and DJF were calculated, and were compared with those of RCP-AM and RCP-AF. In ISO geometry at 0.3 MeV, it was found that doses of breast, colon, lung, stomach, gonad, urinary bladder, esophagus, liver and thyroid in DJM and DJF with physiques, which are applicable to most adult Japanese, agreed with those of RCP-AM and RCP-AF within 10%.

Miniature ceramic anvil cell mCAC for magnetic measurements under high pressure

Tateiwa, Naoyuki

Koatsuryoku No Kagaku To Gijutsu, 25(4), p.274 - 282, 2016/01

https://doi.org/10.4131/jshpreview.25.274

I will review miniature ceramic anvil cell mCAC for magnetic measurements under high pressure. Recently, the SQUID magnetometer has been used by researchers. Several types of high pressure cell have been developed for the magnetometer. In this paper, I will introduce our miniature ceramic anvil cell mCAC in details. Precise measurements can be possible with the mCAC since the background magnetization is smaller than those of other types of the cell. Finally, experimental data on the rare earth compound YbCuSi will be shown. We detect pressure-induced ferromagnetic state in the compound above 10 GPa.