CINXE.COM

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><?xml-stylesheet href="https://www.acnnewswire.com/rss/rss2full.xsl" type="text/xsl" media="screen"?><?xml-stylesheet href="https://www.acnnewswire.com/rss/itemcontent.css" type="text/xsl" media="screen"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>ACN Newswire</title><link>https://www.acnnewswire.com</link><description>ACN Newswire press release news - Recent Press Releases</description><item><title>Machine learning can predict the mechanical properties of polymers</title><pubDate>Fri, 25 Oct 2024 23:00:00 +0800</pubDate><description><![CDATA[<img src="https://www.acnnewswire.com/images/company/STAM.240.jpg" border="0" />TSUKUBA, Japan, Oct 25, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - Polymers such as polypropylene are fundamental materials in the modern world, found in everything from computers to cars. Because of their ubiquity, it’s vital that materials scientists know exactly how each newly developed polymer will perform under different preparation conditions. Thanks to a new study, which was published in Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, scientists can now use machine learning to determine what to expect from a new polymer.<center><figure class="image"><img src="https://photos.acnnewswire.com/20241025.RSEA.jpg" alt="Machine learning predicts the material properties of new polymers with high accuracy, providing a nondestructive alternative to conventional polymer testing methods." width="550" height="440"><figcaption>Machine learning predicts the material properties of new polymers with high accuracy, providing a nondestructive alternative to conventional polymer testing methods.</figcaption></figure></center>Predicting the mechanical properties of new polymers, such as their tensile strength or flexibility, usually involves putting them through destructive and costly physical tests. However, a team of researchers from Japan, led by Dr. Ryo Tamura, Dr. Kenji Nagata, and Dr. Takashi Nakanishi from the National Institute for Materials Science in Tsukuba, showed that machine learning can predict the material properties of polymers. They developed the method on a group of polymers called homo-polypropylenes, using X-ray diffraction patterns of the polymers under different preparation conditions to provide detailed information about their complex structure and features.“Machine learning can be applied to data from existing materials to predict the properties of unknown materials,” Drs. Tamura, Nagata, and Nakanishi explain. “However, to achieve accurate predictions, it’s essential to use descriptors that correctly represent the features of these materials.”Thermoplastic crystalline polymers, such as polypropylene, have a particularly complex structure that is further altered during the process of molding them into the shape of the end product. It was, therefore, important for the team to adequately capture the details of the polymers’ structure with X-ray diffraction and to ensure that the machine learning algorithm could identify the most important descriptors in that data.<center><figure class="image"><img src="https://photos.acnnewswire.com/20241025.RSEA2.jpg" alt="The new method accurately captured the structural changes of commonly used plastic Polypropylene during the molding process into the end product." width="550" height="349"><figcaption>The new method accurately captured the structural changes of commonly used plastic Polypropylene during the molding process into the end product.</figcaption></figure></center>To that end, they analysed two datasets using a tool called Bayesian spectral deconvolution, which can extract patterns from complex data. The first dataset was X-ray diffraction data from 15 types of homo-polypropylenes subjected to a range of temperatures, and the second was data from four types of homo-polypropylenes that underwent injection molding. The mechanical properties analysed included stiffness, elasticity, the temperature at which the material starts to deform, and how much it would stretch before breaking.The team found that the machine learning analysis accurately linked features in the X-ray diffraction imagery with specific material properties of the polymers. Some of the mechanical properties were easier to predict from the X-ray diffraction data, while others, such as the stretching break point, were more challenging.“We believe our study, which describes the procedure used to provide a highly accurate machine learning prediction model using only the X-ray diffraction results of polymer materials, will offer a nondestructive alternative to conventional polymer testing methods,” the NIMS researchers say.The team also suggested that their Bayesian spectral deconvolution approach could be applied to other data, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and used to understand the properties of other materials, both inorganic and organic.“It could become a test case for future data-driven approaches to polymer design and science,” the NIMS team says.Further information Ryo Tamura National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) <a href="mailto:tamura.ryo@nims.go.jp">tamura.ryo@nims.go.jp</a>Kenji Nagata National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) <a href="mailto:nagata.kenji@nims.go.jp">nagata.kenji@nims.go.jp</a>Takashi Nakanishi National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) <a href="mailto:nakanishi.takashi@nims.go.jp">nakanishi.takashi@nims.go.jp</a>Paper: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14686996.2024.2388016">https://doi.org/10.1080/14686996.2024.2388016</a>About Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM)Open access journal STAM publishes outstanding research articles across all aspects of materials science, including functional and structural materials, theoretical analyses, and properties of materials. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/STAM">https://www.tandfonline.com/STAM</a> Dr Yasufumi Nakamichi STAM Publishing Director Email: <a href="mailto:NAKAMICHI.Yasufumi@nims.go.jp">NAKAMICHI.Yasufumi@nims.go.jp</a>Press release distributed by Asia Research News for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com]]></description><link>https://www.acnnewswire.com/press-release/english/93516/</link><guid>https://www.acnnewswire.com/press-release/english/93516/</guid><category>Chemicals, Spec.Chem, Science & Nanotech, Artificial Intel [AI]</category><stock_tickers /><summary>Machine learning predicts the material properties of new polymers with high accuracy, providing a nondestructive alternative to conventional polymer testing methods.</summary><featuredimage>https://photos.acnnewswire.com/tr:n-650/20241025.RSEA.jpg</featuredimage></item><item><title>TANAKA Announces "TK-SK" Palladium Alloy for Semiconductor Test Equipment</title><pubDate>Thu, 17 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0800</pubDate><description><![CDATA[<img src="https://www.acnnewswire.com/images/company/Tanaka.Logo.240.jpg" border="0" />TOKYO, Oct 17, 2024 - (JCN Newswire) - TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. (Head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka), which develops industrial precious metal products as one of the core companies of TANAKA Precious Metals, has announced the development of <a href="https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/products/detail/probe-pins/?nav=use" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TK-SK</a>, a palladium alloy designed for probe pins used in the final testing stage (post-processing) of semiconductor packages. This new product will be showcased via a panel display at SWTest Asia 2024, an exhibition scheduled for October 24–25, 2024, in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, with samples available for shipping before the end of the year.Key Features of “TK-SK”:640HV Hardness: This palladium alloy offers maximum hardness of 640HV, making it ideal for use in test socket applications, particularly in the final continuity testing stage (back-end process).<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://photos.acnnewswire.com/20241017.TanakaEN1.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="359">TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo has manufactured and supplied a range of precious metals for probe pins used in testing equipment in the front-end and back-end processes of semiconductor manufacturing.As a palladium alloy for probe pins, TK-SK exhibits maximum hardness of 640HV that makes it suitable for use in test socket applications mainly in the final continuity testing stage (back-end process).Demand for high-hardness probe pins has increased in recent years. However, one common challenge with harder materials is that they can be more difficult to process and are prone to breaking during machining. Additionally, palladium alloys on the market previously had a maximum hardness of around 560HV. Through its unique processing technology, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo has successfully developed TK-SK with a hardness of 640HV. By 2028, the company aims to ship 1.5 times the volume of its existing products.Pogo pin-type probe pins are typically used in test sockets. During testing, the tip or plunger of the probe pin can become deformed due to friction from contact with substrates. Solder may also adhere to the plungers, needing regular cleaning, which further increases the risk of deformation due to friction. High-hardness probe pins, like TK-SK, reduce wear-related deformation, leading to longer service life and lower maintenance costs for semiconductor test equipment.Looking ahead, TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo plans to continue contributing to the development of the semiconductor market, which is expected to experience significant growth in the coming years.TK-SK Properties (Reference Values)<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/Multimedia/20241017.TanakaEN.png" alt="" width="650" height="230">Exhibition details<ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Exhibition name: SWTest Asia 2024</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Dates: October 24 (10:00–15:30) and October 25 (10:00–16:00), 2024</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Venue: Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk, Japan</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Official website: <a href="https://www.swtestasia.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.swtestasia.org/</a></li><li style="text-align: justify;">Exhibitor: TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Booth No.: 210</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Panel display: Palladium alloy for probe pins (TK-SK wire, TK-FS wire and sheet), copper-silver alloy for probe pins (TK-101 sheet), and precious metal plating solution for probe cards</li></ul>About TANAKA Precious MetalsSince its foundation in 1885, TANAKA Precious Metals has built a portfolio of products to support a diversified range of business uses focused on precious metals. TANAKA is a leader in Japan regarding the volume of precious metals it handles. Over many years, TANAKA has manufactured and sold precious metal products for industry and provided precious metals in such forms as jewelry and assets. As precious metals specialists, all Group companies in Japan and worldwide collaborate on manufacturing, sales, and technology development to offer a full range of products and services. With 5,355 employees, the group’s consolidated net sales for the fiscal year ending December 2023, was 611.1 billion yen.Global industrial business website <a href="https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/</a>Product inquiries TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. <a href="https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-on-industrial-products/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-on-industrial-products/</a>Press inquiries TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. <a href="https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-for-media/">https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-for-media/</a>Press Release: <a href="https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/20241017_EN.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/20241017_EN.pdf</a>  Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com]]></description><link>https://www.acnnewswire.com/press-release/english/93321/</link><guid>https://www.acnnewswire.com/press-release/english/93321/</guid><category>Metals & Mining, Electronics, Science & Nanotech, Engineering</category><stock_tickers>TYO:8411, SG:MZ8A, NYSE:MFG</stock_tickers><summary>TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. (Head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka), which develops industrial precious metal products as one of the core companies of TANAKA Precious Metals, has announced the development of TK-SK, a palladium alloy designed for probe pins used in the final testing stage (post-processing) of semiconductor packages.</summary><featuredimage>https://photos.acnnewswire.com/tr:n-650/20241017.TanakaEN1.jpg</featuredimage></item></channel></rss>