Abstract: Disclosed is a solar battery which: is made from a silicon semiconductor; has a high quantum-conversion efficiency; requires a small number of production steps during manufacturing; and is capable of being recycled in view of environmental load and material recycling. Specifically, a solar battery according to an embodiment of the present invention has a basic structure of a P—SiN—N junction in which minute silicon clusters are inserted in a P—N junction, and includes a quantum dot layer having a multiple energy level structure consisting of an energy level of a valence band and an energy level of a conduction band, and intermediate energy levels located between both the bands. The quantum dot layer is composed by periodically arranging silicon quantum dots consisting of silicon clusters with an average particle diameter of 2.5 nm or less and an inter-quantum-dot distance of 1 nm or less.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a pipe with a rib, in which a rib portion formed inside a pipe portion includes bent portions in accordance with bending of the pipe portion or a twisted portion in accordance with twisting of the pipe portion, includes drawing out molten metal held in a furnace by using a starter, from a surface of the molten metal, and drawing up the molten metal through a shape defining member defining a sectional shape of the pipe with the rib to be cast, and cooling and solidifying the molten metal passed through the shape defining member and drawn up. The bent portions are formed by moving at least one of the starter and the shape defining member in a horizontal direction. The twisted portion is formed by rotating at least one of the starter and the shape defining member about an axis extending along a vertical direction.

Abstract: This invention aims to provide a recycled magnesium alloy having a good corrosion resistance and a process for producing the same. The process of the present invention comprises an adjusting step of adjusting composition of molten metal of a magnesium alloy so as to comprise, by mass: Al: 5 to 10%, Zn: not less than 1% and not less than three times of Cu content (%), Mn: 0.1 to 1.5% and the remainder: Mg and impurities with or without one or more reforming elements. While the upper limit of the Al content is restricted to a low level, the Zn content is increased in accordance with the Cu content. Therefore, the recycled magnesium alloy produced by this process can effectively suppress corrosion caused by Cu, which is one of corrosion-causing elements.

Abstract: A free casting method according to the present invention includes, a lead-out step for leading out molten metal from a lead-out area provided in a source of supply, e.g. a surface level of the molten metal, to retain the molten metal temporarily by surface films generated on an outer surface, and a forming step for obtaining a formed body by solidifying retained molten metal led out along a set passage depending on a desired casting shape, wherein the retained molten metal is solidified after being formed into the desired casting shape by applying an external force thereto at positions between an unrestrained root portion of the retained molten metal in vicinity of the surface level of the molten metal and a solidification interface defined as a boundary between the retained molten metal and the formed body in the forming step.

Abstract: A free casting method according to the present invention includes, a lead-out step for leading out molten metal from a lead-out area (P) provided in a source of supply, e.g. a surface level of the molten metal, to retain the molten metal temporarily by surface films (F) generated on an outer surface, and a forming step for obtaining a formed body by solidifying retained molten metal (MS) led out along a set passage (L1) depending on a desired casting shape, wherein the retained molten metal is solidified after being formed into the desired casting shape by applying an external force thereto at positions between an unrestrained root portion of the retained molten metal in vicinity of the surface level of the molten metal and a solidification interface defined as a boundary between the retained molten metal and the formed body in the forming step.

Abstract: An up-drawing continuous casting apparatus includes a holding furnace which holds molten metal, a guide-out member which guides the molten metal out from a surface of the molten metal held in the holding furnace, a shape determining member which is arranged to adjoin the surface of the molten metal and allows the molten metal guided out by the guide-out member to pass through the shape determining member to define a shape of a cross section of a casting, a cooling portion which cools the molten metal after the molten metal passes through the shape determining member, and an impact imparting portion which imparts an impact to the guide-out member or the casting.

Abstract: An up-thawing continuous casting apparatus includes a holding furnace that holds molten metal; a shape determining member that is arranged near a molten metal surface of a casting held in the holding furnace, and that determines a sectional shape of the molten metal by the molten metal passing through the shape determining member; a cooling portion that cools and solidifies the molten metal that has passed through the shape determining member; and a molten metal cooling portion that lowers a temperature of the molten metal held in the holding furnace.

Abstract: An up-drawing continuous casting apparatus includes a holding furnace that holds molten metal, a shape determining member that is arranged near a molten metal surface of the molten metal held in the holding furnace, and that determines a sectional shape of a casting by the molten metal passing through the shape determining member, and a cooling portion that cools the molten metal that has passed through the shape determining member. The shape determining member includes, on a main surface on the molten metal surface side, at least one of a protruding portion that protrudes from the main surface, or a recessed portion that is recessed from the main surface.

Abstract: There are provided a manufacturing method of a casting capable of easily manufacturing a casting having a complex form and of increasing the degree of freedom of form of the casting to be manufactured, a manufacturing device thereof and a casting. At the time of forming a casting by drawing out molten metal from a bath surface of a molten metal bath and solidifying the molten metal which has been drawn out, an outer contour unit configured from a plurality of outer contour defining members for defining the outer contour of a casting is arranged in a region between the bath surface of the molten meth bath and a solid region where the molten metal is solidified and the molten metal which has been drawn out from the bath surface is drawn out through a region determined by the outer contour unit, and the form of the casting is changed by moving at least one of the plurality of outer contour defining members according to the drawing out of the molten metal.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine (10), oil in an oil pan (21) is pressure-fed to lubrication sites through operation of an oil pump (22). After being used for lubrication of the lubrication sites, the oil runs down and collects in the oil pan (21). The internal combustion engine (10) is provided with a blow-by gas process device (40) including a communication passageway (48) that connects a portion of the intake passageway (12) on the downstream side of the throttle valve (13) in the intake flow direction and an interior of the crankcase (15) in communication. A pressure chamber (47) to which an end portion of the communication passageway (48) is open is defined in the interior of the crankcase (15). Oil scattered in the interior of the crankcase (15) is introduced into an interior of the pressure chamber (47) before mixing with the oil collected in the oil pan (21).

Abstract: A solar cell that includes a negative electrode made of Al—Nd or the like formed on a substrate, an electron transport layer made of n-type Si or the like, a quantum dot arrangement layer made of graphene or the like, a quantum dot layer, a positive hole transport layer made of p-type Si or the like, and a positive electrode made of ITO or the like are sequentially formed on a surface of the negative electrode. Output electrodes are formed on the positive electrode so that at least a part of the surface of the positive electrode is exposed. The quantum dot layer is constructed such that quantum dots of Si cluster particles are three-dimensionally periodically arranged. The Si cluster particles have an average particle size of 3 nm or less, and the interparticle distance between the Si cluster particles is 1 nm or less.

Abstract: A surface-treated mold that includes a mold, a metal layer that is provided on a surface of the mold and contains at least one metal selected from nickel, chromium, tungsten and brass, and a carbon film that is provided on a surface of the metal layer, wherein the metal layer contains carbon, and the carbon concentration in the metal layer is higher between the boundary with the carbon film and the center of the metal layer than that between the boundary with the mold and the center of the metal layer.

Abstract: A pipe with a rib includes a pipe portion, and a rib portion formed inside the pipe portion. The rib portion includes a plurality of bent portions in accordance with bending of the pipe portion.

Abstract: A molten alloy solidification analyzing method of the invention is characterized in that the amount of change in fraction solid is calculated based on the solidification rate of molten alloy and the solidification rate parameter that is a parameter for evaluating the influence of the solidification rate on solidification of the molten alloy, according to the fraction solid. By conducting such a simulation that takes into consideration the supercooling, a highly accurate solidification analysis is relatively easily performed for various molten alloys.

Abstract: A heat-resistant hose for a vehicle available at a low cost and excellent in interlayer adhesiveness includes: an inner layer; and an outer layer directly formed on an outer peripheral surface of the inner layer, in which the inner layer comprises a fluorine-based rubber composition containing the following components (a) to (e): (a) a fluorine-based rubber; (b) a polyol-based vulcanizing agent; (c) an organic onium compound; (d) magnesium oxide; and (e) calcium hydroxide, and the outer layer comprises an acrylic rubber composition containing the following components (A) to (C): (A) an acrylic rubber; (B) a benzenediol; and (C) at least one of an imidazole compound and a diamine-based vulcanizing agent.

Abstract: A surface-treated mold that includes a mold, a metal layer that is provided on a surface of the mold and contains at least one metal selected from nickel, chromium, tungsten and brass, and a carbon film that is provided on a surface of the metal layer, wherein the metal layer contains carbon, and the carbon concentration in the metal layer is higher between the boundary with the carbon film and the center of the metal layer than that between the boundary with the mold and the center of the metal layer.

Abstract: A mold includes: a base; and a contact surface which is provided on the base and which comes into contact with a molten material. The contact surface is provided with a first surface portion that includes a first fiber layer in which first carbon fibers are raised, and a second surface portion having different surface characteristics from the first surface portion.

Abstract: A free casting method according to the present invention includes, a lead-out step for leading out molten metal from a lead-out area provided in a source of supply, e.g. a surface level of the molten metal, to retain the molten metal temporarily by surface films generated on an outer surface, and a forming step for obtaining a formed body by solidifying retained molten metal led out along a set passage depending on a desired casting shape, wherein the retained molten metal is solidified after being formed into the desired casting shape by applying an external force thereto at positions between an unrestrained root portion of the retained molten metal in vicinity of the surface level of the molten metal and a solidification interface defined as a boundary between the retained molten metal and the formed body in the forming step.

Abstract: An oil recovery part (20A, 20B) for guiding oil to an inner side of a peripheral wall of a cylinder head (2) is provided at a front wall upper end of the cylinder head (2), the oil leaking from a concave bearing (3a, 3b) that supports a camshaft (8, 9) provided at a forefront end of a cam housing (3).

Abstract: A die-casting die is provided. The die-casting die may include a cavity forming surface. A part of the cavity forming surface may be coated with a surface treatment layer. The surface treatment layer may include a mixture of fibrous carbon and particle carbon and have a thermal conductivity that increases in connection to an increase in an acted pressure.