Tensile deformation behavior of silicon ͑Si͒ wires with nanometer widths, synthesized by nanometer-tip contact and successive retraction, was studied by atomistic combined microscopy of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy/scanning probe microscopy. The elastic limit, Young's modulus, and strength of individual Si nanowires were investigated based on the mechanics of materials at an atomic scale. It was found that both Young's modulus and strength increased to 18± 2 and 5.0± 0.3 GPa, respectively. The elastic limit was 0.10± 0.02 and fracture strain was estimated to be 0.30± 0.01. Experimental results show that mechanical properties of Si wires transform due to size reduction from micrometer to nanometer scale.

We have developed a synthetic route that uses sodium for the production of intermetallic Pt5Ce nanoparticles (ca. 6 nm average diameter) supported on carbon powder. Sodium melt was demonstrated to reduce a powder mixture of PtCl2 and CeCl3 to form submicrometer Pt5Ce particles with the simultaneous formation of NaCl. The NaCl–CeCl3 melt mixture and Na melt were formed during heating, which led to a uniform reaction between Pt and Ce, and the melt induced grain growth. The synthetic procedures were then modified to supply sodium vapor to the vicinity of the metal sources supported on carbon powder with an aim to suppress grain growth. Pt5Ce nanoparticles were successfully formed on the carbon support with high loading and dispersity.

Polymer/BaTiO3nanocomposites where the BaTiO3nanoparticles were isolated and uniformly dispersed by thick polymer shells, exhibited high reliability for dielectric breakdown strength.

A water-based impregnation synthesis route was used to obtain carbon-supported Pt–Ln (Ln: lanthanide metal) nanoparticles, which are expected to be among the most active catalysts toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) but have previously been successfully prepared only in environments without H2O or O2 because of the strong oxophilicity of Ln. In the present work, a mechanistic study of the formation of Pt–Ln nanoparticles was conducted using Pt/C (Pt nanoparticles supported on carbon) and CeCl3 as starting materials, and the synthesized Pt–Ce/C particles were characterized in terms of their microstructure and their electrocatalytic activity toward the ORR. The results suggested that the impregnation-prepared powder contained Pt, CeO2, and CeCl3 (or hydrated CeCl3) and that these compounds transformed into Pt–Ce and CeOCl when heated under flowing dilute H2 gas. Microstructural analysis clarified that the obtained Pt–Ce nanoparticles (average size: 5.5 nm) were of the intermetallic Pt5Ce phase (P6/mmm, CaCu5 type, a = 0.5368 nm, c = 0.4383 nm) and that byproduct CeOCl was removed by successive washing. Carbon powders supporting Pt5La, Pt5Sm, Pt–Gd (Pt5Gd and Pt2Gd), and Pt3Tb nanoparticles were similarly obtained.