The authors propose an energy cycle based on a renewable fuel. Magnesium is chosen as an energy carrier and is combusted with water to retrieve energy using many power devices. MgO, the combustion residue, is reduced back to Mg by laser radiation generated from solar and other renewable energy sources. They have achieved an energy recovery efficiency of 42.5% for converting MgO to magnesium, using a laser. Combined with a demonstrated 38% efficiency for converting an artificial sunlight source (metal halide lamp) into laser output energy indicates that the proposed energy cycle is already in a feasible range for practical use.
Photochemical modification of the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) with incorporation of the CH3 radical released from the B(CH3)3 molecule excited by an ArF excimer laser has been demonstrated. The incorporation of CH3 radicals and the depletion of fluorine atoms of the polymer surface were studied by XPS analysis and infrared ATR spectrum measurement. In these photochemical reactions, the photoirradiated surface changed into oleophilic. The properties were studied by contact angle measurement. The stability of the oleophilic surface was examined at the elevated temperature of 200 °C for 6 h in O2 or N2 ambient and also by immersing in alkaline or acid water solutions.
Modification of a selective area of a fluororesin surface was accomplished by using ArF excimer laser radiation and a boron complex with oleophilic or hydrophilic functional groups. The chemical stability of fluororesin is attributed to the presence of C-F bonds. The F atoms were abstracted by B atoms selectively from the area irradiated with excimer laser radiation and were replaced with the desired functional groups. In this modification, B(CH3)3 and B(OH)3 were used: a boron compound with methyl groups to generate an oleophilic surface, and one with hydroxyl groups to generate a hydrophilic surface. As a result, the resin surface exposed to ArF laser radiation becomes oleophilic or hydrophilic. Both samples were bonded to stainless steel plates with an epoxy bonding agent and the tensile shear strength was 1.2 x 107 Pa in both cases.
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