Kanagawa Industrial Technology Center

ABSTRACT Most materials expand on heating; however, some materials show the opposite trend, in which the overall volume contracts upon heating, a phenomenon known as negative thermal expansion (NTE). Materials exhibiting NTE are highly valued for their unique ability to tailor thermal expansion, especially in achieving zero thermal expansion when combined with positive thermal expansion materials. NTE functional materials illustrate the significant interplay between specific physical properties and NTE. In perovskite ferroelectric NTE materials, thermal expansion can be regulated through the interaction between ferroelectricity and NTE. The temperature‐induced ferroelectric‐to‐paraelectric phase transition is also accompanied by unusual NTE. Inspired by these, new NTE materials can be designed and realized in polar perovskites by stabilizing their metastable structures. Indeed, NTE was successfully realized in PbTiO 3 ‐type perovskite of PbVO 3 , which shows the same tetragonal perovskite structure as PbTiO 3 , but exhibits more pronounced tetragonal distortion. Recent progress of NTE in PbVO 3 ‐based derivatives has been summarized. NTE was achieved in PbVO 3 ‐based derivatives through chemical substitutions at the A‐site, B‐site, or anion site using a distinct high‐pressure synthesis method. Despite challenges in optimizing the performance of NTE, PbVO 3 ‐based perovskites provide a roadmap for discovering analogous materials such as BiCoO 3 , Bi(Zn 1/2 Ti 1/2 )O 3 , and Bi(Zn 1/2 V 1/1 )O 3 .

Purified DNA plasmids traditionally used for microbial transformation have been supplanted by extracellular plasmids released via host bacterial lysis, offering an alternative approach for DNA-plasmid delivery. Specifically, shuttle vector plasmids liberated from host Bacillus subtilis were directly employed for the transformation of chemically competent cells Escherichia coli, eliminating the need for biochemical purification. This unconventional DNA delivery technique, referred to as 'Cell Lysis Technology to provide Transformable Extra-cellular DNA; CELyTED', has been successfully adapted for the transformation of microorganism Saccharomyces cerevisiae as well. The protocol includes optimized conditions for efficient cell lysis of the donor host cells. Notably, ' CELyTED ' enables the introduction of large-sized DNA plasmids exceeding 50kb into target microorganisms mitigating the potential adverse effects of physical shearing during the purification process. This simplicity in the delivery protocol makes it versatile for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms, establishing a fundamental platform in the synthetic genome field. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of introducing large DNA plasmids into cells E. coli and S. cerevisiae using the lysate of donor host cells, showcasing the potential of 'CELyTED ' as a streamlined approach in genetic transformation methodologies.

Frictional conditions at the workpiece–die interface are critical in metal forming, as significant plastic deformation generates heat that affects lubricant performance. Understanding lubricant behavior, especially its influence on friction under elevated temperatures, is essential for optimizing forming processes and meeting ecological demands. While the conventional ring compression test evaluates friction through inner diameter changes, it becomes unreliable when friction is transient. In this study, a warm ring compression test incorporating an in situ measurement system is proposed to evaluate the transient frictional behavior of lubricants under temperature rise due to plastic deformation. Results show that at T = 50 °C and 150 °C, the friction coefficient increases notably with the compression ratio, whereas at T = 100 °C, it remains relatively stable. This stability is likely due to the optimal performance of the chlorinated base lubricant at 100 °C, where boundary lubrication is most effective. At T = 50 °C, the additive activation is insufficient, and at T = 150 °C, thermal degradation may reduce its effectiveness. Finite element simulations using the transient friction coefficient reproduce the deformed ring cross-section with high accuracy, while those using constant friction values show less agreement.

Olive, which have been cultivated in Kagawa Prefecture since 1908, have a strong brand name both inside and outside of the prefecture, and brewing sake with yeast isolated from olive will enable the development of a new sake product that highlight the uniqueness of Kagawa. This study was conducted with the aim of commercializing a highly original sake using yeast isolated from olive. Yeasts (OY-4 and -5) were isolated from olive flowers, fruits, and two strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with the ability to produce ethanol at 15 ºC were obtained. However, their ethanol production were lower than that of Kyokai-kobo No. 9. To solve this, we attempted to obtain a strain with higher ethanol productivity by selecting alcohol-resistant strains from OY−4 or −5. Yeast were cultured on agar medium containing ethanol, and 5 strains that could be grown on 17 % ethanol were obtained. Among them, OY-04-2 was selected for its high alcohol productivity and good sensory characteristics. OY-04-2 was named “Sanuki Olive Yeast”, and 4 sake products made with the yeast have been on the market since April 2020. These sake products have been highly praised for their fruity aroma and refreshing acidity.

• Liquid electrolytes made from a combination of weakly coordinating solvents and weakly coordinating anion were explored. • Weakly coordinating properties of linear monoether-based electrolytes were exploited to improve Li ion transport via rapid Li ion exchange between the weak-coordination sites. • Formation of anion-derived solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), and the improved Li ion mass transport, a positive shift of electrode potential of Li deposition/dissolution was responsible for high reversibility of Li metal electrode. • Li/LiFePO 4 cells with BME-based electrolytes delivered a high discharge capacity of 110 mAh g⁻ 1 even at a high current density of 15 mA cm⁻ 2 . Although Li metal batteries have attracted much attention as high energy density rechargeable batteries, poor cycle ability and safety remain great concerns for practical application. The development of suitable electrolytes is the key to improving the performance of Li metal batteries, and research on electrolytes has been vigorously pursued. In this study, weakly coordinating properties of linear monoether-based electrolytes that regulate energy level of Li ion coordination to be energetically less stable, frustrated state were exploited to improve Li ion transport via rapid Li ion exchange between the weak-coordination sites (solvent and anion). In addition to the reductive stability of the monoether solvents, formation of anion-derived inorganic-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), and the improved Li ion mass transport, a significant positive shift of electrode potential of Li deposition/dissolution was responsible for high reversibility of Li metal electrode in the monoether-based electrolytes. The charge-discharge rate capabilities of Li/LiFePO 4 cells with n‑butyl methyl ether (BME)-based electrolytes were superior to those of cells with highly concentrated electrolytes (HCEs) of dimethoxyethane (DME) containing lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide (LiFSA). Li/LiFePO 4 cells with BME-based electrolytes delivered a high discharge capacity of 110 mAh g⁻ 1 even at a high current density of 15 mA cm⁻ 2 . This study highlights that less-stabilized Li ion coordination in the weakly coordinating electrolytes enables the enhanced Li ion transport and highly reversible deposition/dissolution of Li metal, which in turn leads to the greater charge-discharge performance of Li metal batteries at high current densities.

A solid-state Z-scheme system is constructed using a sputtering method in which rutile titania (TiO2) and beta-iron disilicide (β-FeSi2), which act as oxygen (O2)- and hydrogen (H2)-evolution photocatalysts, respectively, are combined with gold (Au), which acts as a solid electron mediator (β-FeSi2/Au/TiO2, described as BAT). Platinum (Pt) is selectively deposited onto β-FeSi2 in BAT using the photoexcitation of only β-FeSi2 to prepare Pt-loaded β-FeSi2/Au/TiO2 (Pt/BAT), followed by selective loading of chromium oxide (CrOx) onto Pt (K. Akiyama et al., ACS Omega 2022, 7, 38744–38751). In this study, we attempted that CrOx was photodeposited onto both TiO2 and Pt on β-FeSi2 in Pt/BAT by the photoexcitation of both TiO2 and β-FeSi2 to prepare Pt/BAT/CrOx and that it was only onto Pt on β-FeSi2 in Pt/BAT by the photoexcitation of only β-FeSi2 to prepare CrOx/Pt/BAT. We confirmed that CrOx was precipitated on the surface of not only the β-FeSi2 grain but also TiO2 around the β-FeSi2 grain in Pt/BAT/CrOx and that it was only on the surface of the β-FeSi2 grain in CrOx/Pt/BAT. The Pt/BAT/CrOx with 2 wt % CrOx photocatalyst greatly enhanced the overall water-splitting activity (more than 10 times) compared with CrOx/Pt/BAT with 0.4 wt % CrOx. In addition, the overall water-splitting activity over Pt/BAT/CrOx with 0.8 wt % CrOx was demonstrated to be approximately twice as high as that of CrOx/Pt/BAT with 0.8 wt % CrOx. These observations indicated that CrOx on the surface of TiO2 around the β-FeSi2 grain attributed to the enhancement of the overall water-splitting activity. This is possibly owing to the enhancement of the combination of the hole of the valence band in β-FeSi2 and the electron of the conduction band in TiO2 at the heterojunction interfaces by suppressing the contact of photoexcited carriers with water via β-FeSi2–Au and Au–TiO2 interface and by decreasing the recombination of them in β-FeSi2 and TiO2.

High-pressure synthesized Pb-based perovskites exhibit diverse functional properties. PbCrO3, for instance, displays distinctive diffuse scattering and valence skipping, forming Pb2+ and Pb4+ ions. However, the spatial distribution of Pb ions in the crystal remains largely unexplored. Here, we elucidate the role of Pb ions with different valences through Sr substitution, using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy combined with elemental mapping. This approach allows us to accurately examine the distribution of Sr and Pb ions in the same atomic columns. The results reveal that in Pb0.8Sr0.2CrO3, Sr ions occupy a squared lattice, while Pb ions exhibit positional distortions. Simulations based on the experimentally determined Pb distribution reproduce the diffuse scattering observed in PbCrO3. These findings suggest that the lone pair electrons of s orbitals are responsible for the local lattice distortion. Our study provides atomistic insights into the local structures of materials exhibiting valence skipping.