Abstract: A high-quality porous aluminum sintered compact, which can be produced efficiently at a low cost; has an excellent dimensional accuracy with a low shrinkage ratio during sintering; and has sufficient strength, and a method of producing the porous aluminum sintered compact are provided. The porous aluminum sintered compact is the porous aluminum sintered compact that includes aluminum substrates sintered each other. The junction, in which the aluminum substrates are bonded each other, includes the Ti—Al compound and the Mg oxide. It is preferable that the pillar-shaped protrusions projecting toward the outside are formed on outer surfaces of the aluminum substrates, and the pillar-shaped protrusions include the junction.

Abstract: A high-quality porous aluminum sintered compact, which can be produced efficiently at a low cost; has an excellent dimensional accuracy with a low shrinkage ratio during sintering; and has sufficient strength, and a method of producing the porous aluminum sintered compact are provided. The porous aluminum sintered compact is the porous aluminum sintered compact that includes aluminum substrates sintered each other. The junction, in which the aluminum substrates are bonded each other, includes the Ti—Al compound and the eutectic element compound capable of eutectic reaction with Al. It is preferable that the pillar-shaped protrusions projecting toward the outside are formed on outer surfaces of the aluminum substrates, and the pillar-shaped protrusions include the junction.

Abstract: The invention provides a medical device in which a metallic porous body is joined to at least a part of a surface of the main body of a medical device, and a surface modification method for the medical device. The metallic porous body is formed in multilayers.

Abstract: The invention provides a medical device in which a metallic porous body is joined to at least a part of a surface of the main body of a medical device, and a surface modification method for the medical device. The metallic porous body is formed in multilayers.

Abstract: Methods to enhance the quality of grain boundary networks are described. The process can result in the production of a metal including a relatively large fraction of special grain boundaries (e.g., a fraction of special grain boundaries of at least about 55%).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite contact in which a flange section with a large diameter at an end of a base part with a small diameter, the composite contact having: a contact section which is made from silver alloy into an upper-surface part of the flange section; and a leg section which is made from copper alloy by forming a large-diameter part so as to form a lower-surface part of the flange section is made integrally with the base part, having the steps of: a primary-forming process forging a copper-alloy wire and a silver-alloy wire having a smaller diameter than that of the copper-alloy wire in a hole of a forming die in a state of being butted to each other so as to form a primary-formed body including a silver-alloy part and a copper-alloy part so that the wires are bonded with each other.

Abstract: Provided are a highly pure copper anode for electrolytic copper plating, a method for manufacturing the same, and an electrolytic copper plating method using the highly pure copper anode. The highly pure copper anode obtains a crystal grain boundary structure having a special grain boundary ratio L?N/LN of 0.35 or more. LN is a unit total special grain boundary length. L?N is a unit total special boundary length. By having the configuration described above, plating defect can be reduced by suppressing the occurrence of the particles, such as the slime or the like, which are generated on the anode side in the plating bath.

Abstract: A hydrogen permeation/separation thin membrane including a Ni—Ti—Nb alloy. The Ni—Ti—Nb alloy is a cast foil material obtained by roll quenching and a refining heat treatment. The membrane has a thickness of 0.07 mm or less. The Ni—Ti—Nb alloy has the following: (a) a composition consisting of 10 to 47 atomic % of Nb, 20 to 52 atomic % of Ti, and a remainder containing 20 to 48 atomic % of Ni and inevitable impurities; and (b) an alloy structure where fine particles of a Nb-based solid solution alloy, in which Nb forms a solid solution with Ni and Ti in Nb, are dispersed in a basic structure made of a Ni—Ti(Nb) intermetallic compound formed of a solid solution of a Ni—Ti intermetallic compound, in which part of Ti thereof is replaced by Nb.

Abstract: Methods to enhance the quality of grain boundary networks are described. The process can result in the production of a metal including a relatively large fraction of special grain boundaries (e.g., a fraction of special grain boundaries of at least about 55%).

Abstract: A hydrogen permeable membrane which has an excellent high-temperature amorphous stability and a long lifetime under high-temperature heating operation and which can be miniaturized for use in a high-performance hydrogen purifier. The hydrogen permeable membrane is made of a non-crystalline nickel-zirconium alloy or zirconium-nickel alloy composed of 44 to 75 atom % of nickel or zirconium; and 0.2 to 16 atom % of aluminum, 0.2 to 12 atom % of vanadium and/or niobium, or 0.2 to 12 atom % of niobium and 0.1 to 10 atom % of phosphorus (provided that the combined amount of niobium and phosphorus is not more than 18 atom %); with the balance being zirconium or nickel and unavoidable impurities.

Abstract: The invention provides a medical device in which a metallic porous body is joined to at least a part of a surface of the main body of a medical device, and a surface modification method for the medical device. The metallic porous body is formed in multilayers.

Abstract: A hydrogen permeation/separation thin membrane including an Ni—Ti—Nb alloy, the Ni—Ti—Nb alloy being a cast foil material obtained by roll quenching and having a thickness of 0.07 mm or less, which has been subjected to a refining heat treatment, and the Ni—Ti—Nb alloy having the following composition (a) and alloy structure (b): (a) a composition consisting of 10 to 47 atomic % of Nb, 20 to 52 atomic % of Ti, and a remainder containing 20 to 48 atomic % of Ni and inevitable impurities; and (b) an alloy structure where fine particles of an Nb-based solid solution alloy formed of a solid solution of Ni and Ti in Nb are dispersed in a microstructure made of an Ni—Ti(Nb) intermetallic compound formed of a solid solution of an Ni—Ti intermetallic compound, in which part of Ti thereof is replaced by Nb; and a hydrogen permeation/separation thin membrane including an Nb—Ti—Ni alloy, the Nb—Ti—Ni alloy being a cast foil material obtained by roll quenching and having a thickness of 0.

Abstract: A refrigerant circuit (20) includes a low stage compressor (101, 102, 121, 122), a high stage compressor (41, 42, 43), an outdoor heat exchanger (44) and a utilization side heat exchanger (83, 93). During a defrosting operation of the refrigeration system (10), the high stage compressor (41, 42, 43) is driven. Refrigerant discharged from the high stage compressor (41, 42, 43) is pumped into the utilization side heat exchanger (83, 93) to heat frost on it from its inside. Thereafter, the refrigerant evaporates in the outdoor heat exchanger (44), is then compressed by the high stage compressor (41, 42, 43) and is sent again to the utilization side heat exchanger (83, 93).

Abstract: In a refrigerant circuit (20), a refrigerator circuit (110) and a freezing circuit (30) are connected in parallel to an outdoor circuit (40). In the freezing circuit (30), a freezer circuit (130) and a booster circuit (140) are connected in series. A booster compressor (141) and a four-way switch valve (142) are provided in the booster circuit (140). During the time when a freezer heat exchanger (131) performs cooling operation for cooling the inside air, refrigerant evaporated in the freezer heat exchanger (131) is compressed in the booster compressor (141), and then, is sucked into a variable capacitance compressor (41). On the other hand, during defrosting of the freezer heat exchanger (131), the refrigerant evaporated in a refrigerator heat exchanger (111) is compressed in the booster compressor (141), and then, is supplied to the freezer heat exchanger (131).

Abstract: In a refrigerant circuit (20), a refrigerator circuit (110) and a freezing circuit (30) are connected in parallel to an outdoor circuit (40). In the freezing circuit (30), a freezer circuit (130) and a booster circuit (140) are connected in series. A booster compressor (141) and a four-way switch valve (142) are provided in the booster circuit (140). During the time when a freezer heat exchanger (131) performs cooling operation for cooling the inside air, refrigerant evaporated in the freezer heat exchanger (131) is compressed in the booster compressor (141), and then, is sucked into a variable capacitance compressor (41). On the other hand, during defrosting of the freezer heat exchanger (131), the refrigerant evaporated in a refrigerator heat exchanger (111) is compressed in the booster compressor (141), and then, is supplied to the freezer heat exchanger (131).

Abstract: A hydrogen permeable membrane which has an excellent high-temperature amorphous stability and a long lifetime under high-temperature heating operation and which can be miniaturized for use in a high-performance hydrogen purifier. The hydrogen permeable membrane is made of a non-crystalline nickel-zirconium alloy or zirconium-nickel alloy composed of 44 to 75 atom % of nickel or zirconium; and 0.2 to 16 atom % of aluminum, 0.2 to 12 atom % of vanadium and/or niobium, or 0.2 to 12 atom % of niobium and 0.1 to 10 atom % of phosphorus (provided that the combined amount of niobium and phosphorus is not more than 18 atom %); with the balance being zirconium or nickel and unavoidable impurities.

Abstract: A refrigerant circuit (10) is formed by connecting, in series and in the order given, a compressor (11), a four-way selector valve (12), an outdoor heat exchanger (13), an expansion valve (14), and an indoor heat exchanger (15) by a gas side pipe (31) and a liquid side pipe (32). The refrigerant circuit (10) is charged with an R32 single refrigerant or with an R32/R125 mixed refrigerant in which R32 is present in an amount of not less than 75 wt. %. A dg/dl ratio, which is the ratio of the inside diameter dg of the gas side pipe (31) to the inside diameter dl of the liquid side pipe (32), is so set as to fall in the range of 2.1 to 3.5 when the cooling rated capacity is more than 5 kW but not more than 9 kW whereas when the cooling rated capacity is not more than 5 kW or more than 9 kW the dg/dl ratio is so set as to fall in the range of 2.6 to 3.5.

Abstract: A bridge circuit (11) having four check valves (31, 32, 33, 34) is provided upstream of a receiver (10), which is provided upstream of an expansion valve (7). A gas vent pipe (12) for connecting the receiver (10) and a pipe (24) downstream of the expansion valve (7) to each other is provided, and the gas vent pipe (12) is provided with a gas vent valve (13). Upon shut down, the gas vent valve (13) is opened, and the expansion valve (7) is gradually closed. The compressor (4) is shut down and the gas vent valve (13) is closed after passage of a predetermined time from the point in time when the expansion valve (7) reaches the fully closed state.

Abstract: There are provided a refrigerating machine oil which can easily remove a sludge generated in a refrigerant circuit and is easy to return to a compressor and a refrigerator employing the same. A refrigerating machine oil obtained by mixing an alkylbenzene oil and an ether oil is employed in a refrigerant circuit. A sludge generated on an inner surface of a small-diameter portion of a capillary (4) is exfoliated and removed by the alkylbenzene oil while maintaining lubricating performance of a compressor (1) with the ether oil that is well dissolved in an HFC refrigerant, thereby preventing capillary clogging.

Abstract: A compressor (11), a four-way switching valve (12), an outdoor heat exchanger (13), an expansion valve (14) and an indoor heat exchanger (15) are sequentially connected together through gas piping (31) and liquid piping (32), thereby forming a refrigerant circuit (10). The refrigerant circuit (10) is filled with an R32 single refrigerant or an R32/R125 mixed refrigerant containing at least 75% by weight of R32. Synthetic oil is used as refrigerating machine oil. When the rated cooling capacity is 5 kW or less, the liquid piping (32) is formed from piping having an inner diameter of less than 4.75 mm.