Papers by Author: Mototsugu Sakai

Abstract: Palladium (Pd) nanoparticles were prepared on photocatalytic TiO2-coated glass substrate by a photodeposition process and the optical hydrogen sensing properties were examined at room temperature. The TiO2 coatings were prepared on a non-alkaline glass substrate by a sol-gel process and hot water treatment. Pd nanoparticles were deposited on the TiO2 film by photodeposition using UV light. The obtained Pd/TiO2 thin film showed remarkable optical transmittance response to hydrogen gas at room temperature. The normalized transmittance of the Pd/TiO2 thin film at a wavelength of 640 nm decreased to 0.9 on exposing the film to hydrogen gas for only 5 s. This transmittance decrease is considered to be due to a gaschromic effect of the TiO2 photocatalytic coating.

Abstract: Titanate nanosheet thick films were prepared on indium-tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrates by electrophoretic deposition. Three types of sols with different preparation procedures and pH values were prepared. In the case of titanate nanosheet films prepared from a sol with pH=7.0, surface of the films was flat and nanosheets which deposited on substrates were uniformly dense. Titanate nanosheet thick film deposited from the sol using dimethyl ethanol amine for the exfoliation showed a high photocatalytic activity due to the high crystallinity

Abstract: Preparation of monodispersed inorganic-organic hybrid particles has become one of the most attractive research topics in recent years. In this study, phenylsilsesquioxane (PhSiO3/2) particles were synthesized from phenyltriethoxysilane (PhSi(OEt)3), ethanol (EtOH), hydrochloric acid for hydrolysis and ammonia water for polycondensation by the sol-gel method. Spherical PhSiO3/2 particles were obtainable by varying the mole ratios of EtOH, H2O, HCl and NH3, to PhSi(OEt)3. The particle size was changed from 0.1 to 5.0 .m with the mole ratio. Under the optimum conditions, monodispersed particles with 1.50 .m in diameter and 0.05 of normalized standard deviation were successfully prepared.

Abstract: Anatase nanocrystals were formed on sol-gel derived SiO2-TiO2 coatings with water vapor or hot water treatments. The anatase nanocrystals were precipitated through hydrolysis of Si-O-Ti bonds, dissolution of SiO2 component, migration of hydrolyzed titania species, and nucleation and growth. The process temperatures can be lowered below 60oC, which should open new applications. It was found that the crystal habit of titania was changes from roundish anatase to sheet-like titania by applying vibration during the hot water treatment. The nanosheets were identified as hydrated titania, TiO2 . mH2O, with layerd structure. The coatings of hydrated titania showed high photocatalytic activities and excellent antifogging properties due to their unique morphology.

Abstract: The contact deformation mechanisms of a superplastic ceramic, 3Y-TZP (3mol % yttria-partially stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals) are examined in indentation creep tests at high temperatures. A large discrepancy between the uniaxial compression and the pyramidal indentation contact behaviors is observed. The indentation creep curves exhibit a hardening behavior, i.e., the penetration rate decreases as the penetration depth and/or the creep time increases. This fact implied that the cooperative grain-boundary sliding (CGBS) in a microscopically localized region, such as the sub-surface contact region beneath a pyramidal indenter, is very limited through the microscopic processes of localized grain interlocking.

Abstract: Methylsilsesquioxane films were formed on glass substrates by dropping a sol prepared from methyltriethoxysilane and then heat-treated in an oven. Nanoindentation test was performed to assess the elastoplastic properties of the films, including the relative residual depth ξr, Meyer hardness HM, work-of-indentation WI and the elastic modulus E’. The values of ξr, HM and WI were obtained by a Berkovich indenter and E’ was determined by a spherical indenter on the basis of Hertz elastic theory. ξr decreased with the increase in the heat treatment time, whereas HM , WI and E’ significantly increased with the time. The changes in the mechanical properties with the heat treatment time well reflected the evolution of the Si-O-Si network structure in methylsilsequioxane film.

Abstract: A novel indentation method is proposed to study the mechanical properties of porous and/or heterogeneous materials by the use of a cylindrical indenter with line loading on test specimens. The problems in line contact are examined. The indentation load P versus penetration depth h relation in line contact is expressed in terms of the radius R of cylindrical indenter and the contact length L. An application of a cylindrical indentation to a polycrystalline graphite leads to a successful determination of the Young's modulus and the yielding strength. It is concluded that the line contact rather than the conventional pyramidal point contact is more efficient for the experimental deternination of mechanical properties of porous and/or heterogeneous materials.