Abstract: A fiber composite material includes a base material and a composite layer. The composite layer includes a fiber layer made from carbon fibers, a conductive layer made from a conductor, and a matrix resin impregnated into the fiber layer and the conductive layer. A first resin portion of the matrix resin is impregnated into the fiber layer, and a second resin portion of the matrix resin is impregnated into the conductive layer. The matrix resin is a single resin layer in which an interface does not exist between the first resin portion and the second resin portion. The composite layer is bonded to the base material via the matrix resin.

Abstract: A first continuous fiber component and a second continuous fiber component are stacked with a non-woven fabric interposed therebetween to thereby prepare a fiber base material. The fiber base material is placed between an upper mold and a lower mold. The upper mold and the lower mold are brought close to each other to thereby form an enclosed space therebetween. The enclosed space is larger in volume than a product cavity. A liquid matrix resin is supplied to the enclosed space. The upper mold and the lower mold are brought closer to each other to thereby form the product cavity in a manner that a pressing load is applied to the fiber base material. Then, the liquid matrix resin with which the fiber base material has been impregnated is hardened in the product cavity, whereby a fiber-reinforced plastic molded article is produced.

Abstract: A first continuous fiber component and a second continuous fiber component are stacked with a non-woven fabric interposed therebetween to thereby prepare a fiber base material. The fiber base material is placed between an upper mold and a lower mold. The upper mold and the lower mold are brought close to each other to thereby form an enclosed space therebetween. The enclosed space is larger in volume than a product cavity. A liquid matrix resin is supplied to the enclosed space. The upper mold and the lower mold are brought closer to each other to thereby form the product cavity in a manner that a pressing load is applied to the fiber base material. Then, the liquid matrix resin with which the fiber base material has been impregnated is hardened in the product cavity, whereby a fiber-reinforced plastic molded article is produced.

Abstract: A method of encapsulating PbS quantum dots is provided that includes depositing, using atomic layer deposition (ALD), a first layer of TiO2 on a substrate, depositing, using ALD, a first layer of PbS quantum dots on the first layer of TiO2, and depositing, using ALD, an encapsulating layer of the TiO2 on the first layer of TiO2 and the first layer of PbS quantum dots, where the first layer of PbS quantum dots are encapsulated and separated by the first layer of TiO2 and the encapsulating layer of TiO2.

Abstract: A method of fabricating single-crystalline metal silicide nanowires for anti-reflective electrodes for photovoltaics is provided that includes exposing a surface of a metal foil to oxygen or hydrogen at an elevated temperature, and growing metal silicide nanowires on the metal foil surface by flowing a silane gas mixture over the metal foil surface at the elevated temperature, where spontaneous growth of the metal silicide nanowires occur on the metal foil surface, where the metal silicide nanowires are post treated for use as an electrode in a photovoltaic cell or used directly as the electrode in the photovoltaic cell.

Abstract: A method of fabricating quantum confinements is provided. The method includes depositing, using a deposition apparatus, a material layer on a substrate, where the depositing includes irradiating the layer, before a cycle, during a cycle, and/or after a cycle of the deposition to alter nucleation of quantum confinements in the material layer to control a size and/or a shape of the quantum confinements. The quantum confinements can include quantum wells, nanowires, or quantum dots. The irradiation can be in-situ or ex-situ with respect to the deposition apparatus. The irradiation can include irradiation by photons, electrons, or ions. The deposition is can include atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, MOCVD, molecular beam epitaxy, evaporation, sputtering, or pulsed-laser deposition.

Abstract: A method of fabricating quantum confinements is provided. The method includes depositing, using a deposition apparatus, a material layer on a substrate, where the depositing includes irradiating the layer, before a cycle, during a cycle, and/or after a cycle of the deposition to alter nucleation of quantum confinements in the material layer to control a size and/or a shape of the quantum confinements. The quantum confinements can include quantum wells, nanowires, or quantum dots. The irradiation can be in-situ or ex-situ with respect to the deposition apparatus. The irradiation can include irradiation by photons, electrons, or ions. The deposition is can include atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, MOCVD, molecular beam epitaxy, evaporation, sputtering, or pulsed-laser deposition.

Abstract: A method of fabricating quantum confinements is provided. The method includes depositing, using a deposition apparatus, a material layer on a substrate, where the depositing includes irradiating the layer, before a cycle, during a cycle, and/or after a cycle of the deposition to alter nucleation of quantum confinements in the material layer to control a size and/or a shape of the quantum confinements. The quantum confinements can include quantum wells, nanowires, or quantum dots. The irradiation can be in-situ or ex-situ with respect to the deposition apparatus. The irradiation can include irradiation by photons, electrons, or ions. The deposition is can include atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, MOCVD, molecular beam epitaxy, evaporation, sputtering, or pulsed-laser deposition.

Abstract: A proton conductor is formed of a porous body as a substrate and proton-conducting polymer covalently bonded to inner surfaces of pores of the porous body. The proton-conducting polymer comprises a main chain and a plurality of branched side chains extending radially therefrom. The branched side chains are each bonded to a proton-conducting salt at the end. The proton-conducting polymer has a substantially cylindrical structure in which the salts can be circumscribed by a virtual circle having a center on the cross-sectional center of the main chain such that a radial direction of the virtual circle is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the main chain. The salts are located on the peripheral wall of the substantially cylindrical structure. Protons are transferred between the adjacent salts, so that a conduction channel is formed on the peripheral wall of the cylindrical structure.

Abstract: A method of fabricating quantum confinements is provided. The method includes depositing, using a deposition apparatus, a material layer on a substrate, where the depositing includes irradiating the layer, before a cycle, during a cycle, and/or after a cycle of the deposition to alter nucleation of quantum confinements in the material layer to control a size and/or a shape of the quantum confinements. The quantum confinements can include quantum wells, nanowires, or quantum dots. The irradiation can be in-situ or ex-situ with respect to the deposition apparatus. The irradiation can include irradiation by photons, electrons, or ions. The deposition is can include atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, MOCVD, molecular beam epitaxy, evaporation, sputtering, or pulsed-laser deposition.

Abstract: A proton-conducting polymer comprises a main chain and a plurality of branched side chains extending radially therefrom. The branched side chains are each bonded to a proton-conducting salt at the end. In the proton-conducting polymer, the salts can be circumscribed by a virtual circle having a center on the cross-sectional center of the main chain such that a radial direction of the virtual circle is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the main chain. Thus, the proton-conducting polymer has a substantially cylindrical structure, and the salts are located on the peripheral wall of the substantially cylindrical structure. Protons are transferred between the adjacent salts, so that a conduction channel is formed on the peripheral wall of the cylindrical structure.

Abstract: A proton conductor is formed of a porous body as a substrate and proton-conducting polymer covalently bonded to inner surfaces of pores of the porous body. The proton-conducting polymer comprises a main chain and a plurality of branched side chains extending radially therefrom. The branched side chains are each bonded to a proton-conducting salt at the end. The proton-conducting polymer has a substantially cylindrical structure in which the salts can be circumscribed by a virtual circle having a center on the cross-sectional center of the main chain such that a radial direction of the virtual circle is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the main chain. The salts are located on the peripheral wall of the substantially cylindrical structure. Protons are transferred between the adjacent salts, so that a conduction channel is formed on the peripheral wall of the cylindrical structure.

Abstract: A proton-conducting polymer comprises a main chain and a plurality of branched side chains extending radially therefrom. The branched side chains are each bonded to a proton-conducting salt at the end. In the proton-conducting polymer, the salts can be circumscribed by a virtual circle having a center on the cross-sectional center of the main chain such that a radial direction of the virtual circle is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the main chain. Thus, the proton-conducting polymer has a substantially cylindrical structure, and the salts are located on the peripheral wall of the substantially cylindrical structure. Protons are transferred between the adjacent salts, so that a conduction channel is formed on the peripheral wall of the cylindrical structure.

Abstract: A hyperbranch polymer is bonded to a pore surface existing on a SiO2 glass porous body, such that the hyperbranch polymer is bonded to the pore surface only at the base end moiety. The hyperbranch polymer has a first generation branched moiety branched from the base end moiety, a second generation branched moiety further branched from the first generation branched moiety, and a third generation branched moiety further branched from the second generation branched moiety. A functional group, such as sulfonic acid group, from which a proton is capable of being dissociated, is bonded by substitution to the terminal end of the third generation branched moiety.

Abstract: An alcohol solution of a metal alkoxide is mixed with a H3PO4 mixture solution of water and alcohol to hydrolyze the metal alkoxide and effect crosslinking with H3PO4. Accordingly, a solid is produced composed of a composite oxide glass (proton conductor) containing constituent elements of P and a metal element originating from the metal alkoxide and having hydroxyl groups at terminals. The metal alkoxide is selected so that the metal alkoxide contains constituent elements of metal elements each of which is designated by a chemical shift within ?25 ppm. The chemical shift is a difference between a value at which a peak of orthophosphoric acid appears when a silicon oxide-phosphate glass, which is a composite oxide of phosphorus oxide and silicon oxide, is analyzed by P31—MASNMR and a value at which a maximum peak appears when the composite oxide glass is analyzed by P31—MASNMR.

Abstract: A hyperbranch polymer is bonded to a pore surface existing on a SiO2 glass porous body, such that the hyperbranch polymer is bonded to the pore surface only at the base end moiety. The hyperbranch polymer has a first generation branched moiety branched from the base end moiety, a second generation branched moiety further branched from the first generation branched moiety, and a third generation branched moiety further branched from the second generation branched moiety. A functional group, such as sulfonic acid group, from which a proton is capable of being dissociated, is bonded by substitution to the terminal end of the third generation branched moiety.

Abstract: An alcohol solution of a metal alkoxide is mixed with a H3PO4 mixture solution of water and alcohol to hydrolyze the metal alkoxide and effect crosslinking with H3PO4. Accordingly, a solid is produced composed of a composite oxide glass (proton conductor) containing constituent elements of P and a metal element originating from the metal alkoxide and having hydroxyl groups at terminals. The metal alkoxide is selected so that the metal alkoxide contains constituent elements of metal elements each of which is designated by a chemical shift within −25 ppm. The chemical shift is a difference between a value at which a peak of orthophosphoric acid appears when a silicon oxide-phosphate glass, which is a composite oxide of phosphorus oxide and silicon oxide, is analyzed by P31—MASNMR and a value at which a maximum peak appears when the composite oxide glass is analyzed by P31—MASNMR.

Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a foil type fluid bearing including a foil assembly. The foil assembly supports a journal within a stationary retaining member and includes a top foil that is disposed on the inside in the radial direction, three mid foil layers that are disposed outside the top foil, and corrugated bump foils disposed outside the mid foil layers. When the journal is radially displaced, a large frictional damping force is generated between the three mid foil layers, thereby enhancing the function of supporting the journal. Moreover, layering the three mid foil layers can increase the rigidity against a load in the radial direction, thus preventing the top foil from deforming in a wavelike manner and thereby allowing the function of the foil type fluid bearing to be reliably exhibited.

Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a foil type fluid bearing including a foil assembly. The foil assembly supports a journal within a stationary retaining member and includes a top foil that is disposed on the inside in the radial direction, three mid foil layers that are disposed outside the top foil, and corrugated bump foils disposed outside the mid foil layers. When the journal is radially displaced, a large frictional damping force is generated between the three mid foil layers, thereby enhancing the function of supporting the journal. Moreover, layering the three mid foil layers can increase the rigidity against a load in the radial direction, thus preventing the top foil from deforming in a wavelike manner and thereby allowing the function of the foil type fluid bearing to be reliably exhibited.