POLYMERS　Vol.72　No.2
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COVER STORY
Latest Analysis and Evaluation Techniques for Structures and Functions Using Synchrotron Radiation
COVER STORY: Highlight Reviews
Soft X-Ray Microscopy Hiroyuki YAMANE
<Abstract> Synchrotron X-ray analyses have enabled us to extend the elucidation of geometric, electronic, and chemical states from ideal model systems to practical applications. Using focused soft X-rays allows the local-spot chemical analysis of materials, including light elements and transition metals. Because of the various detection methods, including electrons, transmitted X-rays, and fluorescent X-rays, soft X-ray microscopies provide a versatile technique with fewer restrictions on the type of sample and its surrounding atmosphere. This article introduces recent achievements and future prospects of soft X-ray microscopies.
Keywords: Soft X-Ray Microscopy / Synchrotron Radiation
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Development of Millisecond Temporal-Resolution 4D X-Ray Tomography Wataru YASHIRO
<Abstract> We developed 4D (3D + time) X-ray tomography with millisecond-order temporal resolution using high-brilliance synchrotron radiation (with high-speed sample rotation and no sample rotation). This research enables real-time 4D observation of non-repeating and nonequilibrium phenomena in real materials, such as the fracture of soft materials, and is expected to open new fields, including nonequilibrium materials informatics.
Keywords: X-Rays / Imaging / Tomography / Synchrotron Radiation / Millisecond / Multi-Beam / Tensile Fracture / Rubber
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Progress in X-Ray Scattering and Reflectivity Utilizing Resonant Tender and Soft X-Rays Katsuhiro YAMAMOTO
<Abstract> The structural analysis of polymers by X-ray scattering has already been generalized. For polymer materials, the structure (electron density spatial fluctuation) is captured in grayscale by hard X-rays. However, by extending the X-ray energy from soft X-ray (several 100 eV) to tender X-ray (1～5 keV), the distribution state of relatively light elements ranging from carbon to sulfur and sodium can be analyzed element-selectively in the structure. This opens up new avenues for structural analysis using tender and soft X-rays, which can directly extract structural information that has been buried in the past.
Keywords: Tender X-Rays / SAXS / X-Ray Reflectometry / Anomalous Scattering / Grazing Incidence SAXS / Resonant Soft X-Ray Scattering
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COVER STORY: Topics and Products
Dynamics in the Curing Process of Thermosetting Epoxy Resins by X-Ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy Atsushi YAMAMOTO, Yasushi OKAMOTO, Taiki HOSHINO
<Abstract> Epoxy resins are used in many kinds of applications and industries because of their excellent properties. Here, we introduce a case of evaluating the dynamics in the curing process of a thermosetting epoxy resin using X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS). We found heterogeneous dynamics in the curing process of epoxy resin that differed greatly with the curing temperature. These information lead to an understanding of the mechanisms of network formation in the curing process, and can be useful as a new point of view for achieving targeted properties in the design of epoxy composition and curing processes.
Keywords: Microscopic Dynamics / Heterogeneity / Curing Process / Network Formation / Thermosetting Epoxy Resins / Coherent X-Ray / X-Ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy
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X-Ray Small Beam Analyses of Rubber Takayuki MARUYAMA
<Abstract> Synchrotron radiation (SR) X-ray small beams are effectively used to analyse fine inhomogeneity in rubber samples. The high brilliance of the infrared SR beams enables spectromicroscopy of small organic particles with some diffusive ingredients in a rubber with spatial resolution higher than 3 micron at transmitted light mode that is suitable for avoiding bleed interference. Strain-induced crystallization over a crack tip area is successfully observed in a carbon black filled natural rubber by a SR X-ray diffraction mapping technique with a 2 micron beam focused by a Fresnel zone plate. Complex interface structure of a particle combined among organic and inorganic additives in a rubber is clearly imaged with details by a focused-beam microscope CT through Zernike phase contrast with a high spatial resolution less than 200 nm.
Keywords: Rubber / Synchrotron Radiation / Microbeam / Infrared Spectroscopy / WAXD / Microscopy
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Polymer Science and I: A Personal Account
Unpredictable Career as a Researcher Yasuhito SUZUKI
<Abstract> When I was an undergraduate student, I accidentally found a short comment by P. W. Anderson published in Science in 1995 that tells how important, difficult and interesting the nature of glass transition is. This comment caught my attention. Since then, my unpredictable journey as a researcher began.
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Front-Line Polymer Science
PoLyInfo and Machine Learning Masashi ISHII
<Abstract> In recent years, there has been growing interest in materials informatics and machine learning in the field of polymers. On the other hand, reflecting the variety of polymers, the lack of systematic data and the difficulty of integrating data in a single format to cover such data have become a problem. The National Institute for Materials Science has collected polymer data from papers over a long period of time and published them in a database called “PoLyInfo”. Here, we summarize the position of PoLyInfo in the global polymer database, the characteristics of PoLyInfo from the viewpoint of informatics, and related results. In particular, it will provide an overview of what is needed to extract the process-structure-property combination that is necessary for machine-readable representation of materials, with a view toward the future target of polymer informatics.
Keywords: PoLyInfo / Materials Informatics / Database / Machine Learning / Process-Structure-Property
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