一般財団法人材料科学技術振興財団　MST List of Products and Services

- Phosphorescence has a longer lifespan compared to fluorescence, and it often becomes thermally deactivated due to quenching by oxygen or the motion and collisions of solvents, making it difficult to measure at room temperature in most cases. Therefore, phosphorescence measurements are generally conducted at low temperatures. The fluorescence spectrometer owned by MST can cool samples to liquid nitrogen temperatures, allowing for phosphorescence measurements. - To perform phosphorescence measurements, it is necessary to measure the emission lifetime of phosphorescence and appropriately set the opening and closing time of the shutter integrated into the device based on the results. By establishing suitable measurement conditions, it is possible to distinguish and observe phosphorescence from fluorescence. This document explains the measurement of phosphorescence emission lifetime and phosphorescence measurements.

NMR is typically performed using the resonance signals of deuterium (2H or D) nuclei in deuterated solvents for reasons such as ensuring the stability of the magnetic field. However, by using the resonance signals of proton (1H) nuclei, measurements can also be conducted with light solvents (i.e., regular solvents) (No-D measurement method). The effective measurements for the No-D method are as follows: - Measurements to evaluate interactions with light solvents (e.g., degradation studies in light solvents) - Measurements of samples that cannot use deuterated solvents (e.g., samples in the biochemical field such as proteins) - Measurements of samples containing volatile components - Measurements of samples for which no dissolvable deuterated solvents are available.

Adhesive tapes are used for a wide range of applications, including everyday household uses, as well as in medical, construction, and insulation purposes. The adhesives used for these tapes vary depending on their application, and various materials are employed. This case study introduces an example of structural analysis of the adhesives in commercially available adhesive tapes using thermal decomposition GC/MS method. Measurements of three types of tapes revealed that they each used different materials: acrylate-based, styrene/isoprene-based, and silicone-based.

We created skin tissue samples and evaluated the distribution of biogenic components in freeze-dried samples using TOF-SIMS. Since TOF-SIMS identifies components based on the mass of molecular ions, it does not require labels such as fluorescent substances, allowing for the evaluation of distribution without the influence of labeled materials. The mapping results confirmed that arginine, a natural moisturizing factor (NMF), and cholesterol, which retains moisture as an intercellular lipid, are localized in the stratum corneum. This method is also effective for assessing the permeation state during drug application.

We analyzed the surface components of three types of commercially available food wrap films (A, B, C) using TOF-SIMS. In this document, we focused on the outermost surface of the wrap films, as shown in Figure 1.

CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) is a resin material that uses carbon fibers as a reinforcing material, characterized by its lightweight and high strength and rigidity. The internal fiber structure of CFRP was observed using X-ray CT. As a result, we were able to observe clusters of carbon fibers with a diameter of approximately 7 μm, and we also conducted an analysis of the fiber orientation.

Polyimide has very high heat resistance and excellent electrical insulation and mechanical properties, making it an essential material not only for electronic components but also for a wide range of fields such as precision machinery, automobiles, and aerospace. In its reliability evaluation, research on imide bonds is important. This document presents an example of XPS measurements conducted on polyimide before and after heating. Changes in the amount of oxygen and the chemical shifts of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen confirmed that imidization progressed after heating. Additionally, by performing waveform analysis, it is also possible to determine the proportion of polyimide present.

UV-curable resins harden quickly when exposed to ultraviolet light and are widely used as coating materials and adhesives due to their ease of use. In acrylate resins, which are commonly used materials, the molecular ions of acrylate monomers are difficult to detect using the conventional ionization method of EI in GC/MS analysis, leading to insufficient structural estimation. Here, we introduce a case where, in addition to the partial structural information obtained from the conventional EI method, the use of the soft ionization method FI enabled the detection of molecular ions, allowing for the estimation of the structure of acrylate monomers.

Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastics (GFRP) are inexpensive, lightweight, and high-strength materials. Understanding their components, distribution, and internal structure is an important aspect of product design. This document presents case studies evaluating the components and structure of GF-reinforced PEEK (Poly Ether Ether Ketone) as GFRP material, as well as the degradation components of the resin after UV exposure.

Many organic materials (resins) may discolor due to aging and other factors. The causes include the formation of conjugated double bonds within the polymer, the degradation of additives contained in the resin, and the transfer of surrounding substances, among others. When the degradation of additives is the cause, the responsible substances can be analyzed by elution using methods such as LC or GC. Here, we provide an overview of the causes of resin discoloration and analysis methods, and introduce a case where the coloring substances responsible for yellowing in polyurethane were separated by LC and qualitatively identified using a combination of PDA and MS.

Resins (synthetic polymers) are polymers of monomers and have characteristic functional groups depending on their type. Due to their structure, they exhibit properties such as heat resistance, toughness, and electrical insulation, making them widely used in packaging materials, adhesives, paints, and more. Structural analysis is important for understanding the properties of resins, and common analytical methods include FT-IR and thermogravimetric GC/MS. FT-IR allows for the evaluation of functional groups, while thermogravimetric GC/MS enables the assessment of monomers and partial structures, so by combining these two methods, structural analysis of a wide variety of resins becomes possible.

Resins that excel in chemical resistance and electrical insulation are used as insulators, coatings, and adhesives for various electronic components. FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) can investigate the causes of defects such as the degree of curing of resins, making it effective for product development. As an example, we will introduce a case where the degree of curing of UV-curable resins was evaluated. It is effective for examining the UV exposure time in adhesives and assessing the curing state when delamination occurs in products.

This document presents an example of evaluating organic contamination through bonding state mapping using XPS. This bonding state mapping is obtained by acquiring XPS spectra of the element of interest at several hundred points within the plane and plotting the distribution of peak intensities corresponding to the energy positions of specific bonding states. Depending on the size of the area of interest, evaluation areas can be set to arbitrary sizes ranging from approximately 1mm to 20mm square, making it particularly suitable for assessing contamination, discoloration, and surface treatments on the order of millimeters. Similar evaluations can also be conducted for metals and silicon, in addition to carbon.

The frequency of mask usage has increased to prevent infections caused by viruses, but there is a lack of structural data that serves as a basis for their usage methods and resistance. This document presents the results of an analysis of non-woven masks before and after use using X-ray CT. The analysis revealed that the thickness of the entire mask increased after use, and it was found that sparse areas in the fibers developed within the layers of the non-woven fabric. It is expected that after use, masks may become more susceptible to the infiltration of dust and that the capture of dust fibers may become less effective.

In anticipation of future demand for antimicrobial agents due to viral infections, this document presents the results of imaging antimicrobial agents and other components in antimicrobial coatings using TOF-SIMS. The antimicrobial coating was formed by spraying an antimicrobial spray containing Ag ions as the antimicrobial component onto a substrate. The analysis revealed that the amount of the antimicrobial component, Ag, did not change even after wiping or rinsing. It was also found that other components besides the antimicrobial agents were present.

Due to the increased demand for disinfectant alcohol to prevent infections caused by viruses, it is important that the products do not contain methanol during handling. It is known that the components other than the main agent, ethanol, differ depending on the type of product. This document introduces cases where components other than ethanol were analyzed using chromatography. The analysis of four types of disinfectant alcohol products revealed that the components contained in the products varied.

This is an example of wide-area quantitative mapping using XPS. We evaluated organic residue on silicon wafers using the following procedure. To graph the amount (atomic concentration) rather than peak intensity, it is less affected by sample roughness and allows for data acquisition over a wide area. It is suitable for investigating organic and inorganic contamination, discoloration, surface treatments, etc., as it enables an overview assessment of the compositional distribution on the sample surface.

Bacteria have various growth environments depending on their species, and there are many bacteria that are difficult to isolate and culture. Therefore, by extracting and analyzing DNA, which is the blueprint of life that all bacteria possess, it becomes possible to investigate the existing bacteria without isolation or culture. Here, we will introduce examples of analysis methods for sequencing bacterial DNA to infer the existing bacteria through microbiome analysis, as well as investigating bacterial numbers using real-time PCR methods.

In situ X-ray CT measurements allow for internal structure analysis under conditions where a load (tension or compression) is applied to the sample. In this document, in situ X-ray CT measurements were conducted using an aluminum plate as the sample, both in its normal state and in an extended state. We calculated the tensile stress applied to the sample and monitored the internal structural changes under each stress condition. By combining in situ X-ray CT measurements with image analysis technology, it is possible to evaluate under actual usage conditions, which was previously difficult, and assess the impact of stress on the product.

Freon gases are utilized in various applications such as refrigerants, foaming agents, semiconductors, and cleaning agents for precision parts due to their chemically stable nature and minimal impact on human health. On the other hand, they are substances that contribute to ozone layer depletion and global warming, which is why they are regulated by law. In this case, Freon gases were analyzed using GC/MS, and the separation analysis of CF4, which has low polarity and is difficult to separate among PFCs, was conducted. By using GC/MS, it is possible to qualitatively analyze specific Freons such as CFCs, HCFCs, and alternative Freons like HFCs and PFCs.